A Different Sort of Rebel
by MiguelCC51
Summary: Literati...with a twist.
1. Making Friends & Kicking Butt

**A Different Sort of Rebel**

Disclaimer : I'm going to say this once and only once, I do not own Gilmore Girls.

1 - Making Friends & Kicking Butt

Lorelai Gilmore stepped into the diner, just like she had on any other day. Little did she know that on this day, she would meet someone new who would change her life. Not to mention the life of her daughter, Rory Gilmore.

"So what was that outburst about yesterday?" Lorelai asked, sitting down at the counter in her usual spot.

Luke glanced at her before sighing, "My sister called me."

"You have a sister?" Lorelai asked, surprised she didn't know this. "I've known you, what? Five, six years? How did I not know this?"

"Why would you?" Luke asked back with a shrug. "It's not like I've ever mentioned her to you."

"Fair enough," Lorelai admitted, returning the shrug.

"Anyway, Liz. That's my sister," Luke explained.

"Uh-huh," Lorelai nodded in rapt attention.

"Well, she's sending her kid, Jess, up to live with me because she can't handle h-" Luke explained before being interupted.

"Do you have anymore sugar, Luke?" Kirk asked from down the counter. "I'm all out over here."

Luke reached under the counter and pulled out a handful of sugar packets, then tossed them to Kirk.

"Anyway," Luke continued. "Liz can't handle Jess and so I'm stuck cleaning up after my sister's mess once again. And now I'm stuck taking in a seventeen year old-"

"Do you have any cream as well, Luke?" Kirk asked, interupting his rant again.

"Here," Luke growled, placing a small canister of evaporated milk in front of Kirk. "And don't interupt me again, or I'll throw you out on your ass."

"Okay," Kirk replied, obviously intimidated. "Sorry."

Looking back at Lorelai, Luke asked, "What time is it?"

"Almost ten o'clock, I think," Lorelai answered. "Why?"

"I have to go meet Jess at the bus stop," Luke sighed.

"Can I come?" Lorelai asked, excited at the prospect of meeting someone new.

Luke looked annoyed before finally relenting. "Fine," Luke sighed. "Let's go."

(GG)

"This is so exciting." Lorelai stated from beside him, as they stood waiting for the bus to arrive.

"Why are you so excited about this?" Luke asked, giving her an annoyed glance.

"I like meeting new people," Lorelai smiled.

"You're nuts," Luke stated.

"Thank you for noticing," Lorelai flirtatiously replied.

"Here it comes," Luke grunted as the bus pulled up.

"So what can you tell me about this Jess?" Lorelai asked, the airbrakes hissing loudly as it came to a gringing halt. "What's he like?"

"He?" Luke asked, giving her a confused look.

"What do you mean by tha-?" Lorelai asked before a slight brunette girl stepped off the bus in front of them.

"Jess?" Luke asked the brunette, sounding unsure. "Jessica?"

The brunette nodded in response, chocolate brown eyes sparkling. "Luke," the girl greeted in a slightly mocking tone. "Lucas."

Lorelai was taken aback, completely surprised by this developement. Lorelai just assumed Jess was a boy. Though after getting a better look at Jess, it was rather obvious to Lorelai that this girl preferred comfort over style. Lorelai would've called her a tomboy if it weren't for the skirt Jess was wearing. Not to mention the make-up, although Lorelai could tell Jess wore very little of it. A little lipgloss, a touch of blush and no mascara to speak of. That was it. Simple seemed to suit this girl though.

"This your girlfriend?" The girl asked with a smirk, looking Lorelai up and down with an appraising eye.

"Uh, no," Luke replied, his eyes wide at the assumption.

"I'm Lorelai," Lorelai introduced herself, getting over her initial shock. "And you're Jessica, I take it?"

"I prefer Jess, thank you," The girl replied while sticking her hand out, throwing her backpack over her other shoulder.

"Nice to meet you, Jess," Lorelai took the extended hand and shook it.

"Is that all you brought?" Luke asked, pointing to her backpack.

"Yeah," Jess nodded, still smirking at Lorelai.

Lorelai was beginning to feel like a piece of meat, the way that Jess was looking at her. She was uneasy, totally unused to having another girl leer at her. Then it suddenly dawned on Lorelai...

"Oh..." Lorelai whispered, realization hitting her like a splash of cold water.

"Stop it, Jess," Luke warned.

"I'm just screwing with you, Lorelai," Jess laughed, grinning like the Cheshire Cat. "I get a kick out making people squirm. Sorry."

"Oh... it's okay," Lorelai stammered, still not sure if Jess was really just poking fun at her.

"So, where is this diner you own, Uncle Luke?" Jess asked, handing him her backpack.

"I've got to head back the inn now, Luke," Lorelai apologized before turning to Jess. "It was nice meeting you, Jess."

"Uh-huh," Jess nodded, suddenly sounding non-chalant. "See you around."

"Bye, Luke. Bye, Jess," Lorelai waved before all but trotting away.

(GG)

"So how long are you stuck with me, Luke?" Jess asked, yawning as she plopped down on the couch.

"Honestly..." Luke began.

"You have no idea, do you?" Jess sighed, closing her eyes.

"No," Luke admitted, feeling guilty.

"Did Liz tell you why she sent me here?" Jess asked after a short moment of awkwardness.

"No," Luke shook his head to the negative. "Other than some business with a boy, nope. Nothing."

Jess nodded, then said, "Is it okay if I check out the town while you're working?"

"I don't see why not," Luke nodded back before adding. "Just be back for lunch, okay?"

"No problem," Jess waved her hand in a dismissive manner.

"Just so you know," Luke informed her, getting up from the chair he'd been sitting on. "The couch folds out into a bed, though it's very uncomfortable. You're better off just sleeping on the cushions. We'll go buy you an actual bed after lunch, okay?"

"You are not all prepared for this, are you?" Jess smirked up at him.

"You have no idea," Luke sighed before leaving his seventeen year old niece to her own devices.

_I hope she doesn't smoke_, Luke sighed as he returned to work.

(GG)

Jess had walked around the town square four times, through the residential area just as many times and found that this town was really boring. Nobody even piqued her interest for a second. Well, that wasn't entirely true, if Jess was being honest with herself. Of course though, the experience of meeting Kirk Gleason was...unique. The guy was down right strange, but in that harmless type of way. Jess just wished that she was still back in New York with her friends, hanging out and such.

Jess glanced at her watch and noticed that it was 3:45pm. _School should be out by now_, she realized.

"Wonder what the kids in this town do for fun?" Jess asked aloud, making her way toward the high school.

Jess wandered around abit as several kids walked to wherever their homes were, and Jess was beginning to get bored again when a scuffle between four girls caught her attention.

"Leave me alone!" An asian girl cried out as a group of three girl knocked her books out of her grasp and pushed her around.

"Whatcha gonna do about it, Kim?" A tall red-haired girl taunted. "You gonna tell your mother?"

"Leave her alone!" Jess shouted, coming to the girl's defense before she even realized she was doing it.

"Who are you?" One of the other girls asked, right before Jess punched her in the throat. The girl gasped and fell to the ground holding her throat, her friends shocked at the newcomer's actions. Jess spun and kicked the other girl as hard as she could in the stomach, taking advantage of the girl's shock.

The asian girl (who the other girls had called Kim) also took advantage of the situation and shoved the red head as hard as she could, resulting in the girl falling flat on her butt.

"Want more?" Jess asked, grinning with menace. _Keep it up, Mariano_. She thought, fighting back her panic. _If they assume you're a psycho, then they'll think twice about fighting you again._ "Well?" Jess taunted, feeling less cocky then she let herself sound. "Which one of you are next?"

"Let's get out of here," the tall red head said, fear in her eyes.

The other two followed her away, helping each other stumble after their apparent leader.

"That was awesome!" The asian girl exclaimed. "It was like something out of a Chuck Norris movie."

"I'm more of a Bruce Lee girl myself," Jess dead panned, brimming with nervous energy. _Oh, here it comes_. Jess swallowed hard, knowing what was coming. It happened everytime she was really nervous.

"You okay?" the asian girl asked.

"I think I'm gonna be sick," Jess muttered before retching out the contents of her stomach.

"Eww," the girl said, holding back her hair for Jess.

"You're not the one who has to taste it," Jess muttered, wiping her mouth. "Damn..."

"What?"

"I really liked that lunch, too," Jess muttered.

"I'm Lane," the asian girl introduced herself, extending a hand.

"Jess," she replied, taking the extended hand and shaking it.

"You saved my butt there," Lane smiled. "Thanks!"

"Thanks for holding my hair," Jess smiled back.

"I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship, Jess," Lane stated, grinning at her.

Jess shook her head, chuckling at her new friend.

**End scene.**

**Hope you're enjoying the story thus far and that you'll review when your done.**

**Guess a little explanation is in order as to how I came up with this, huh?**

**Well, after reading MrSchimpf's 'Longing With A Cherry Tomato On Top' (I highly recommend you go read it), I wanted to try my hand at a 'fem-slash' (I really hate that term, but I digress). Unfortunately, I had no real place to start since I wanted to try something different by having somebody other than the usual suspects to cause Rory to question her sexuality. That means it couldn't be Paris or Lane, nor Madeline or Louise. Damn my need for a somewhat original storyline!**

**Anyhow, that's when I came up with the idea of making Jess *gasp* a girl! But then I found myself wondering who I should make her look like and came up blank.**

**Eh, back to square one, thus it was shelved for a while as I worked on 'The Jess Factor' (a fic, I'm sorry to say, is now all but abandoned!) and more or less forgot about it.**

**That is until I was watching an episode of 'Firefly', in where River (portrayed by the beautiful Summer Glau) kills a bunch of Alliance soldiers and smirks back at a frightened Kaylee (played by the equally beautiful Jewel Staite) and states that 'No power in the 'Verse can stop me.' And that, as they say, is that.**

**The smirk is what did it for me, and thus we have the template for our heroine, one miss Jessica Mariano, modelled after the fantastic Summer Glau. So, when you're reading this, that's who you should be imagining in the role as that's who I have in my mind when I'm writing. She's also the only actress I can think of who could pull this off without seeming a little ridiculous.**

**Oh, and in case you're wondering, yes, this is a slash fic.**

**Thanks for your time!**

**References :**

_**I hope she doesn't smoke.**_** - An allusion to the original Jess Mariano's bad habit of cigarette smoking.**

**Chuck Norris - The star of such fare as 'Lone Wolf McQuaid' and 'Walker Texas Ranger'. Also a former world karate champion.**

**Bruce Lee - The greatest martial artist of all time. Nuff said.**


	2. The Consequences of Kicking Ass

2 - The Consequences of Kicking Ass

"Where did you learn to fight like that?" Lane asked as the two girls made their way to towards Kim's Antiques.

"Liz, that's my mom, used to date this guy for a while. His name was Rogar, and he used to be a champion kick-boxer. Or was it muay thai? It might have been Taekwondo, now that I really think about," Jess explained, making a face like she was thinking hard to remember before continuing. "Anyway, he taught me a few moves before he and Liz broke it off."

"Taekwondo?" Lane asked, before adding in an excited tone. "My uncle was a grandmaster back in Korea!"

"Really now?" Jess smiled back with genuine interest. "A grandmaster? That's awesome."

"Unfortunately, I never had any interest in it when I was younger," Lane stated, sounding regretful. "Now I'm kinda wishing I had learned at least a little bit of it when he was still alive."

"It does comes in handy every now and then," Jess shrugged before stopping in front of Lane's house.

"What is it?" Lane asked.

"You live in an antique shop," Jess replied. "That's...different."

"And where do you live, missy?" Lane asked with mock defensiveness.

"New York," Jess answered before ammending. "Well, that's where I used to live anyway."

"Where you staying now?"

"I'm staying with my uncle in his apartment."

"Who's your uncle?"

"What is this? Are we playing twenty questions?" Jess asked back, grinning at Lane.

"Sorry," Lane looked down, explaining in a low voice. "It's just that you're the first interesting person I've met in Stars Hollow for quite a while and I tend to get a little over-zealous when I'm getting to know someone."

"It's alright, Lane," Jess laughed. "I'm just messing with you."

"Lane Kim!" A woman snapped from the front door, startling both girls. The woman made her way to them, with purpose in her step.

"Mama?" Lane replied, her eyes wide in sudden fear.

"What is this I hear about you fighting Taylor Doose's niece? What did I tell you about fighting?" Mama Kim asked, each word clipped by a heavy Korean accent. Turning to Jess before Lane could answer, Mrs. Kim asked, "Who are you?"

"Jess Mariano," Jess introduced before lowering her eyes and meekly adding. "Ma'am."

"Are you the other girl who was fighting?" Mama Kim pressed her, causing Jess to take a step back. There were very few times Jess had truly felt intimated by anyone. This was one of those times. Lane's mom was scary.

"Um, yeah, but-" Jess began.

"Why you fight?" Mrs. Kim asked, cutting her off.

"It was three on one," Jess answered quickly. "Somebody had to help Lane."

"You helped Lane?" Mrs. Kim asked, surprised. She'd obviously gotten a different version of what had happened. "But you are so..."

"I'm so what?" Jess asked, relieved that Lane's mother had settled down. At least, a little bit.

"Skinny," Mrs. Kim finished, looking Jess up and down.

"Mama!" Lane gasped.

"Come inside, Lane," Mrs. Kim ordered softly. "You're going to tell me what happened." She turned back to Jess. "Thank you for helping my daughter."

"No problem," Jess returned, unable to think of anything else to say.

"Bye, Jess," Lane waved before heading inside.

"See ya, Lane," Jess waved back, surprised to see Mrs. Kim give her a friendly nod before closing the door. Jess shrugged, happy that was over and done with. That was one woman that Jess didn't want be on the wrong side of. "Frightening." Jess muttered, turning around and making her way to the diner.

(GG)

"Hey, Rory," Dean greeted, smiling widely as his girlfriend hopped off the bus from Hartford.

Rory grinned and jumped into her boyfriend's embrace, her legs swinging as he lifted her up. "Dean!" She exclaimed with a grin before kissing him softly as he put down. "I missed you."

"We saw each other this morning, Rory," Dean replied, giving her that look like she was insane. "Breakfast at Luke's, remember?"

"I know, but I had a really crappy day with Paris being Paris and the shadow of the inevitable English Lit quiz looming over my head," Rory explained before suggesting. "Speaking of Luke's..."

"You want coffee, don't you?" Dean concluded with a smile.

Grasping his hand in her own, Rory led him in the direction of the diner. "So how was your day, Dean?"

"Pretty boring actually," Dean answered, falling in step with her. "But I did see something pretty interesting after last bell. Well, at least the tail end of it, anyway."

"Oh, what?" Rory asked, her interest piqued.

"You know Taylor Doose's niece? Sarah?" Dean asked.

Rory frowned, "You mean Big Red? That Sarah Doose?" Remembering the girl from her time in Stars Hollow High, Sarah Doose was the resident bad girl of the school, always accompanied by her two lackies, Shane Williams and Laurie Hughes. "Oh, yeah, I know her."

"Well, she and her friends were picking on Lane for some reason," Dean began.

"And you didn't step in?" Rory asked, pulling her hand away in sudden anger.

"Let me finish, Rory," Dean said, gesturing with his hands for her to calm down.

"Okay, finish," Rory nodded, planting her hands on her hips.

"I was going to step in, but someone else beat me to it." Dean explained, adding with a smile. "And boy, did she ever step in."

"She?" Rory asked, surprised at the news. "Who was it? What did she do?"

"Some new girl," Dean shrugged, wrapping his arm around her as they continued toward Luke's. "I didn't catch her name. I was just in awe at her moves that I couldn't move myself. She and Lane took off before I could follow. So instead, I came to the bus stop to share it with you."

"In awe of her moves?' Rory asked, a little confused. "What do you mean by that? What did she do, exactly?"

"She was like Jet Li," Dean shook his head as he recalled the memory. "She took out Shane and Laurie with one hit each. Sarah was scared stupid. It was awesome!"

"I wish I could've seen that," Rory smiled as Dean held the door open for her. "Those girls are jerks."

"One day," Luke was ranting at somebody, waving his arms in the air. "No, not even one day! And you've already gotten Taylor Doose breathing down my neck, claiming that you and Lane Kim beat up his niece!"

"That is so not how it went down, Uncle Luke!" A girl's voice cried back from in front of him. She looked to be around Rory's age and built much the same way. _She does not at all look like someone that Sarah Doose would be afraid of getting in a fight with,_ Rory thought to herself. "She and her friends were pushing Lane around and I just jumped in to even the odds a bit."

"That's the girl!" Dean whispered to her, pointing excitedly.

"Thank you, Captain Obvious!" Rory whispered back, annoyed that he interupted her watching of the scene in front of them.

"Even the odds?" Luke shouted. "From what Taylor told me, you punched that Laurie girl in the throat. The throat! You could've killed her, Jess!"

"I knew what I was doing," the girl huffed, crossing her arms across her chest. "She'll be fine."

"Just go upstairs," Luke growled. "I'll deal with you later!"

"Fine!" The girl shouted back, then turned her gaze to Rory. "What the hell are you staring at, preppy?"

Rory jumped back, a little scared at the ferocity in the girl's brown eyes.

"Upstairs, Jess!" Luke shouted again. "Now!"

The girl just glared at Luke before stomping toward the stairs, her dark brown locks swishing behind her as she disappeared behind the curtain. Loud thumping could be hear as she climbed up to the apartment, ending with the door slamming shut with authority a few seconds later.

"Remind me never to piss her off," Dean muttered before taking a seat at a table.

"No kidding," Rory agreed, joining him. She glanced at the curtain, wondering about the newcomer. _I'll have to ask Lane about her later._

"Sorry about that, Rory," Luke apologized when he reached the table and poured her a coffee. "Jess is a little wild."

"It's alright, Luke," Rory replied in a distracted tone, trying to get those chocolate eyes out of her mind's eye. Rory had never seen such passion before. It was bracing, to say the least.

"You want some coffee with your sugar, Rory?" Dean asked, giving her a weird look.

"Ah, nuts," Rory said, realizing what she'd just done.

_What the hell is wrong with me?_ Rory wondered, her gaze once again going to the curtain leading upstairs.

**End scene.**

**In my head, I'm thinking that in the role of Sarah Doose will be Alicia Witt, while her lackey Laurie Hughes is played by Sarah Thompson, who I loved (to hate) as Eve on Angel.**

**Please review after reading. Thanks!**

**References :**

**Big Red - The Stars Hollow High's nickname for Sarah Doose, it is an an allusion to the bitchy character portrayed by Lindsay Sloane in 'Bring It On'.**

**Jet Li - One of my personal favorite martial arts action hero, who has starred in the 'Once Apon a Time In China' series of films, as well as 'Hero' and 'Fearless'.**


	3. Sparks Will Be A Flying

3 - Sparks Will Be A Flying

"I'm not really in the mood for a shindig," Jess griped, still fuming at her uncle from their confrontation earlier.

"Too bad," Luke replied in his grumbling monotone. "Lorelai and Sookie have already gone out of their way to set this up. Besides, we're there."

Jess sighed as she followed her uncle across the lawn, then looked up at the house. _This is going to be hell_, she thought.

"Quit standing around and get over here," Luke barked from the porch.

Jess complied, shaking her head.

When she joined Luke on the porch, Jess watched with dread as her uncle tapped the knocker on the Gilmores' front door.

"No turning back now," Jess muttered.

"Be quiet," Luke muttered back, then added. "And behave yourself."

"Yes, sir," Jess replied, her lips pursed.

"I mean it," Luke insisted.

Jess sighed, "Don't worry. I'm not going to humiliate you in front of your girlfriend and her friends."

Luke was about to say something when the front door opened to reveal a grinning Lorelai.

"Hey, you two," Lorelai greeted. "Perfect timing. Sookie's about to break her own record for the most food served outside the Roman Empire."

"Sounds great," Luke replied.

"Sure does," Jess agreed, though she obviously being facetious.

"So, come on in," Lorelai invited.

Jess breezed by Lorelai and made her way into the living room (which was temporarily converted into a dining room), all the while knowing that Luke and Lorelai were discussing her at the door. She glanced at the pictures on the mantle, not really paying attention to any of them until her eyes came to one with Lorelai and a girl who looked to be a younger version of her. Jess looked closer at the picture and began to think that she recognized the girl from somewhere, but she couldn't quite place where though.

"Hey Jess, you want to come in the kitchen?" Lorelai asked, an over-friendly smile on her face.

Jess nodded, then followed her and Luke past the makeshift dining area and into the kitchen where a couple was preparing food.

"Sookie, Jackson, I want you to meet Luke's niece," Lorelai wrapped her arm around her shoulders. "This is Jess."

"Do you eat cheese?" Sookie asked.

"Uh, no," Jess replied, a litttle surprised by the question. "Lactose intolerant."

"Oh my God!" Jackson exclaimed suddenly, "This is the greatest lemon I've ever grown! I mean, this is a great lemon!" Handing Sookie a lemon, he continued. "Sookie, you've got to try this lemon. Isn't it a great lemon?"

"This is a great lemon!" Sookie agreed in excitement.

"Try it!" Jackson said to Jess, holding a piece of lemon out to her. "It's a Meyer!"

"Uh, no thanks," Jess replied, lifting her hand and shaking her head.

"Jackson grows his own produce, then scares people with it," Lorelai explained, then turned to an open door to their right. "Rory, they're here."

"Coming," A girl's voice replied.

"Hey," Jess greeted, entering the room unbidden.

"Hey," Rory greeted back, then added with a smile. "It's you."

"Have we met?" Jess asked in confusion. _I'm pretty sure I'd remember those blue eyes_, Jess thought.

"Sort of," Rory explained. "This afternoon at the diner."

"I'm sorry," Jess apologized. "I'm drawing a blank."

"You called me Preppy," Rory added.

Jess groaned, feeling every bit the ass. "Sorry about that. I was a little pissed off. I didn't mean it."

"I get it," Rory smiled. "It happens to the best of us."

"We good?" Jess asked.

"We're good," Rory nodded.

Jess turned and noticed the books lining the walls. "My, aren't we hooked on phonics," she stated, grabbing a copy of Howl. _I haven't read this in a while_, Jess thought as she ran her finger along the book's spine.

"I could lend that to you," Rory offered, watching her as Jess flipped through the pages. "It's really good."

"Nah, that's alright." Jess replied, placing the book back down. Walking to the windows, Jess pushed the curtains aside. "These things open?" She asked, fiddling with the windows.

"Yeah, you just got to-" Rory began, then stopped when she heard a click.

"Shall we?" Jess suggested, giving her a smirk.

"What?" Rory asked before realization came to her. "Ditch? I don't think so."

"Why not?"

"Well, Sookie made all this great food and I know it doesn't seem like it, but trust me, it'll be fun," Rory assured her.

"Why should I trust you?" Jess asked, skeptical.

"What? Don't I look trustworthy to you?" Rory asked back.

Jess bit her bottom lip, then relented. "Fine," she replied. "But I'm taking a lot on faith here, Rory."

"Duly noted," Rory nodded, then turned to leave the room.

Jess grabbed the copy of Howl, tucked it in her back pocket and began to follow only to stop when Rory turned around suddenly, their faces a hand widths apart. Jess heard both their breath catch in surprise, chocolate brown eyes meeting azure blue. An entire ten seconds passed by before it was broken by Lorelai.

"Hey, you two," Lorelai called to them. "Hurry up."

"You want a drink?" Rory asked, averting her gaze.

"Yeah, sure," Jess nodded, averting her gaze as well. "I'll get it."

"No," Rory stopped her, placing her hand on Jess' forearm. "You're a guest. I'll get it for you."

"If you insist," Jess nodded, trying to ignore the jolt that went up her arm at Rory's touch.

"Tell them I'll be right in," Rory said before heading toward the fridge.

"Okay," Jess nodded again, then headed into the makeshift dining room.

_What the hell was that?_ Jess wondered in shock as she sat down beside Luke.

(GG)

_What the hell was that?_ Rory thought, fighting back her panic. Rory grasped the door handle of the fridge, her hands shaking slightly as she grabbed a couple cans of cola. Taking a deep breath, Rory made her way back to rejoin the festivities. Her breath caught again when Jess looked up and their eyes met.

"You okay there, Hon?" Lorelai asked.

"Yeah, Mom. I'm fine. Just a little tired from school," Rory lied, hoping it didn't show on her face.

"Alright," Lorelai nodded, then pointed to the other end of the table. "Sit over there, beside the guest of honor."

Rory swallowed hard before nodding and making her way to where her mom indicated. Right beside Jess. _Get a grip, Gilmore!_ She chided herself before sitting down beside Jess. _She's just another girl,_ Rory reminded herself.

"Here," Rory said, trying to sound non-chalant as she handed Jess a can of cola.

"Thanks," Jess replied, avoiding her gaze. Their fingertips grazed and sent a tingle of electricity up her arm, startling Rory. The cola would have fallen if Jess hadn't already had a hold on it, which relieved Rory to no end. "You okay?" Jess asked.

"I'm fine," Rory smiled weakly at her guest. "Just tired."

Jess returned the smile, but remained silent.

_She is so cute,_ Rory thought before her panic resurfaced. _Wait? What?_

"So how are you liking Stars Hollow so far, Jess?" Sookie asked, completely unaware of Rory's dilemma.

A moment of silence went by before Luke hissed, "Jess!"

"Uh, what?" Jess replied, her eyes wide as though she'd been caught daydreaming.

Rory giggled at the new girl's response.

Jess gave her a sharp look before replying simply, "I've been to worse places."

"Okay," Lorelai cut in, somehow sensing that Jess wasn't in a talkative mood. "So Jackson..."

Rory's attention in the conversation disappeared, instead choosing to watch Jess pick at her food. A few minutes went by before Jess took notice and glanced up at Rory, her face extremely pale.

"You okay, Jess?" Rory asked, worried.

"I need some air," Jess said suddenly, getting up from her chair and rushing into the kitchen. A tense moment later, they all heard the back door open and shut, leaving an awkward silence in its wake.

"I'll go check on her," Luke said, getting up from his seat, only to have Lorelai shake her head.

"No, Luke," Lorelai replied. "You finish your food. I'll see what I can do, okay?"

"Alright," Luke agreed, obviously trusting in Lorelai's judgement.

Rory watched her mom leave, the whole time worried about Jess.

_Is this my fault?_ Rory thought in distress.

(GG)

Lorelai walked out the door just in time to catch Jess cracking open a beer.

"Thank you," Lorelai said, grabbing the beer from the girl and taking a swig. "Aw, refreshing."

"No problem," Jess muttered, taking a deep breath.

"So what's so bad that you felt that you needed a beer?" Lorelai asked before taking another shot.

"Nothing," Jess muttered, sounding irritated by the question.

"You don't want to be here, do you?" Lorelai asked. "In Stars Hollow, I mean."

"Doesn't matter," Jess answered, refusing to look at her. "I'm here now."

"Let me give you a little advice," Lorelai said, putting the beer down and giving Jess her best understanding smile. "The whole 'my parents don't get me' thing, I've been there."

"You have?" Jess muttered, still refusing to meet her gaze.

"Yes, I have," Lorelai confirmed before continuing. "I've also done the 'chip on my shoulder' bit. As well as the surly, sarcastic 'the world can bite my ass' bit. And let me tell you, I mastered them all. In heels yet."

"Just because I'm wearing sneakers now doesn't mean I never wear heels," Jess muttered.

"And everything you're feeling might be totally justified. Maybe you are getting screwed," Lorelai continued, ignoring the girl's comment. "But Luke is a great guy. He's very special. And he really wants to take care of you and make things right for you. You're incredibly lucky to have him in your life. If you give this situation half a chance, then you might be surprised how good things can get for you. How much you like living here and how comfortable it feels to have someone like Luke you can really depend on."

"Are you sure you're not sleeping with him?" Jess asked, finally looking at her. Lorelai could see that Jess was very annoyed.

"Excuse me?" Lorelai asked back, shocked.

"You know the whole starry-eyed 'you're so much better off, just give it a chance' speech," Jess gestured with her hands. "You're either really naive, or you're fucking Luke."

Before Lorelai knew what she was doing, her hand came hard across the girl's face with a loud slap.

"I hit a nerve, I see," Jess smirked, rubbing her cheek.

"This is my house," Lorelai said angrily, "And I'll choose how I'm spoken to here."

"Hey, you don't know me. Or my life. Or my mom. Or Luke, for that matter," Jess snapped back, her eyes aflame. "So why don't you go Dr. Laura someone else?"

"Gladly," Lorelai said back, grabbing the beer off the banister. "I'm going back inside. Stay out of my fridge."

Lorelai stalked into the house, furious at both Jess and herself. _How did I let that kid get the better of me? Making me lose my cool like that!_ Lorelai had never struck anybody in her life, yet this bratty seventeen year old girl brought something ugly out of her that Lorelai didn't like one bit. Lorelai slammed the beer down on the counter and began to shuffle mindlessly through the pots and pans laying on and around the stove.

"Where's Jess?" Luke asked, with Rory following at a distance.

"That kid is way more screwed up than you think she is, Luke," Lorelai complained, grabbing a basket from the cupboard and shoving a loaf of bread in it.

"What did you say to her?" Luke asked, placing his hands on his hips.

"I just said that she was lucky to have you in her life and how if she just gave things a chance that everything will be alright," Lorelai explained.

"What are you doing saying stuff like that to her?" Luke asked back, annoyed. "I thought I could trust you not to meddle."

"I'm not meddling!" Lorelai shouted back. "I'm trying to help you!"

"Oh, here it comes!" Luke groaned.

"Here what comes?" Lorelai asked.

"The condesending advice," Luke huffed. "Just because you have a kid doesn't mean you know everything about parenting, Lorelai."

"Well, I would think it means that I know a little more than you!"

"Okay," Rory jumped in. "Let's stop right there before one of you says something they can't take back."

Luke just glared at Lorelai before making his way past her and headed out the back door.

"Ah, shit," Lorelai sighed, knowing she may have already overstepped her bounds.

**End scene.**

**Review are more than welcomed.**


	4. Miss Mariano's Perfect Day

4 - Miss Mariano's Perfect Day

It was only seven o'clock in the morning and Jess was already having a crappy day. First she'd stubbed her toe getting out of bed, then she stubbed it again when she got out of the shower. Her hair absolutely refused to co-operate, frustrating Jess to no end. She'd lost her favorite lipgloss and had no idea where she could've put it. And worst of all, she couldn't stop thinking about Rory Gilmore, that girl with the amazing blue eyes.

Glaring into her mirror, Jess let out a long frustrated sigh before grabbing an elastic from her dresser and proceded to pull her hair into a sloppy ponytail. She'd spent God knows how long on it and she wasn't going to be late on her first day of school on account of her hair. Besides, she wanted to go see Lane before first bell, hoping to ask her new friend if she knew anything about Rory.

"Good enough," Jess muttered and made her way out the door and down the stairs. Pushing the curtain aside, Jess stepped through and came to a dead stop.

_No, no, no,_ Jess thought with gritted teeth. _This is not happening! Not when I look like crap!_

"Good morning, Jess," Rory greeted from the counter. "Heading to school?"

_Even in that goofy uniform she somehow manages to still look good,_ Jess grumbled internally. Jess looked down at her clothes, wishing she'd put more thought into her outfit. Black Metallica t-shirt, ripped jeans and her worn sneakers. She must look like some sort of skater punk wanna-be. She desperately wanted to find a hole to hide in.

"I like your t-shirt," Rory said, giving her a friendly smile. "Metallica is my Mom's favorite band."

"Yeah?" Jess replied, trying to hide her uneasiness.

"Here you go, Rory," Luke cut in. "One coffee and one cherry danish."

"Thank you, Luke," Rory said back, then added. "You know, you and Mom are being completely childish, right?"

"You're welcome, Rory," Luke replied, ignoring the comment. "And come again soon."

Rory frowned at him, then turned to Jess. "So you heading to school soon?"

"Yup," Jess replied, resorting to mono-syllables because she didn't trust herself with actual words.

"Oookaaayyy," Rory said, looking as though she'd run out of things to say.

Jess looked blankly at her, wishing she knew what to do other than just stand around like an asshole.

"Well, I've got to head to school myself," Rory continued. "So, um...bye."

"Bye," Jess waved, kicking herself internally as Rory went out the door.

"What the hell was that about?" Luke asked her as soon as Rory was outside.

"I could ask you the same thing, Uncle Luke," Jess retorted before turning towards the door.

"Wait a second, Jess," Luke called out.

Jess sighed, "What now?"

"Breakfast," Luke ordered, then added before Jess could protest. "No discussion."

"Can I have an apple danish and coffee instead?" Jess asked, hoping for some sort of compromise.

"No," Luke shook his head. "You are having a real breakfast, Jessica Lucille Mariano. Now sit down at the counter while I go grab it."

_Okay_, Jess thought. _Why the hell is he using my full name like that? I am not three years old! Why should I wait around for him to-_

"Here," Luke said, placing at a plate with bacon, eggs and toast in front of her. "Sit. Eat. Then go to school."

Jess was about to say something in protest, but stopped when she smelled the breakfast. Sitting down at the counter, Jess practically inhaled the food placed in front of her. She was about halfway done when Luke came back with a glass of orange juice for her. She looked up from the plate and almost spit her food out when she noticed his expression of horror.

"What?" She asked after swallowing, wondering at his reaction.

"You're as bad as Lorelai and Rory," Luke stated, placing the orange juice beside her plate.

"First you force me to eat breakfast," Jess complained, stopping to take a quick gulp of juice before continuing. "Then you insult my eating habits? Great parenting skills, Luke."

Luke rolled his eyes, then turned to the kitchen without another word.

Jess smirked at her retreating uncle and continued to eat her food.

(GG)

Dean had just said bye to Rory and left the bus stop, heading towards Luke's for a quick bite to eat before he had to go to school himself. _Thirty-six minutes until first bell, _Dean thought as he looked at his watch. _Plenty of time for a quick breakfast._

"Hey, Deano!" Lane waved, running toward him.

"Hey, Lane," Dean greeted back with a nod and smile.

"Where you heading?" Lane asked, sounding a little winded.

"Just grabbing some breakfast before heading to school," He replied, looking down at her. "You?"

"I was going to homeroom and wait to see if my new buddy Jess is in my class," Lane grinned.

"Well, she should be at Luke's if she hasn't already left for school, right?"

"And why's that?" Lane asked, perplexed.

"Because she's Luke's niece," Dean answered, then quickly added. "I think."

"Cool," Lane nodded. "Let's get going."

The two walked side by side in comfortable silence, and when they reached the diner Dean held the door open for Lane.

"Thanks," Lane smiled before making her way inside.

"Hey, Laney," The brunette from yesterday greeted with a smile, sitting at the counter. An empty plate sat in front of Jess (that was her name, if he remembered correctly) as she looked directly at Dean. "Who's this?" She asked, quirking an eyebrow at him.

"Hi, I'm Dean," He greeted, holding his hand out.

"Jess," the girl shook his hand, then turned to Lane as she let his hand go. "Boyfriend?"

Lane blushed, then quickly shook her head and quickly explained. "No, no. Dean is going out with my best friend, Rory Gilmore."

"Really now?" Jess asked, turning her attention back to him with a critical eye. Dean couldn't sure about it, but it seemed as if this skinny little girl was sizing him up. Then remembering what he'd seen her do the day before, Dean began wondering if he should be worried.

"Hey, Dean," Luke greeted, coming out from the kitchen. "How can I help you?"

"I'll have what Jess just had, Luke," Dean ordered.

Luke nodded, then turned to Lane. "And you, Lane?"

"Is it danish day?" Lane asked.

Luke nodded.

"Then I'll have a lemon danish and a coffee to go," Lane smiled.

"Coming right up," Luke replied.

"Why does she get a danish and coffee, but I get a lecture and...hey, don't ignore me!" Jess complained, though she sounded more playful than angry.

"And here you go, Lane," Luke ignored his niece, while handing Lane her danish (in a bag) and a cup of coffee.

"Nice," Jess huffed as Lane paid for said danish and coffee. "Really nice."

"Thanks, Luke," Lane chirped, then turned to Jess. "Wanna head to school now?"

"Yeah, I'm not really feeling the love here at this moment," Jess muttered, narrowing her eyes at Luke, which made Dean chuckle. She turned her glare on him, asking, "What's so funny, Beanstalk?"

"Nothing," Dean held his hands up. "Don't mind me."

"Fine," Jess smirked, pointedly adding. "I won't."

"Bye, Dean," Lane waved. "Bye, Luke!"

"Stay out of trouble," Luke called out to Jess as she and Lane left out the door.

"Love you too, Uncle Luke!" Jess shouted over her shoulder, just before the door shut.

Dean watched as both girls giggled and walked toward the school, wondering what Jess meant by that last statement she sent his way. It left him with a strange feeling in the pit of stomach, not much unlike the type of feeling a person is left with after eating something particularly vile. Whatever it was, Dean didn't like it.

Not one bit.

(GG)

"So, Rory and the Beanstalk," Jess quirked an eyebrow at Lane. "How long's that been going on?"

"Since about October or November last year, I think," Lane answered. Even though she knew right down to the day on how long Dean and Rory had been involved, Lane wasn't about to divulge that information. Especially considering her own feelings on the subject. "Though they broke up for about two months in March," She added.

"Interesting," Jess remarked as they entered the high school.

"Wait a second," Lane glanced at her. "How do you know Rory?"

"Luke and I went over to her place for some weird 'Welcome to Stars Hollow' thing last night," Jess explained, waving her hand in the air in a dismissive manner.

"Okay," Lane replied, satisfied with her answer.

The two girls walked a ways before Jess asked, "What kind of music you listen to, Laney?"

"Almost everything and anything I can get my hands on," Lane answered honestly, right before turning a corner and bumping into the last person she wanted to deal with.

"Ah, crap," Jess muttered as Sarah Doose and her flunkies stood in front of them.

"Well, look who we have here," Sarah sneered.

_Ah, crap is right, _Lane thought.

"If it isn't Lane Kim and her little psychotic protector," Sarah taunted, green eyes flashing.

"That's right," Jess snapped back. "And if you guys want another round, I'll be happy to oblige."

"Settle down, Sparky," Laurie rasped from behind Sarah, stepping back and rubbing her throat in remembered pain.

"Sparky?" Jess asked, smirking. "I like the sound of that."

Sarah smirked back, malice in her tone. "I probably couldn't take you one on one," Sarah admitted. "But this is my town. And I have other ways of dealing with little-"

"Aren't you being a tad over-dramatic?" Jess asked, interupting the intimidating red-head.

"Fine," Sarah squinted at her new adversary. "Just remember who my uncle is and what he can do."

"We're going to make your short time here a living hell," Shane added.

"I'm shaking," Jess snorted.

"Welcome to Stars Hollow," Shane sneered.

"Bitch," Laurie added with a rasp as the three of them walked away.

"That went well," Jess dead-panned.

"This could be really bad," Lane said, worried for her new friend.

"Whatever," Jess said non-chalant, then turned to Lane. "Let's get to class."

"Okay," Lane replied. She looked over her shoulder at the three girls heading in the opposite direction, and a sense of dread filled Lane before following Jess down the hall.

(GG)

"I've got to get home," Lane said, then waved. "I'll see you later."

"Sure thing, Laney," Jess waved back, then turned to find Luke standing off, waiting for her. _This looks promising,_ Jess thought with a sigh. It had been a long day of school and Jess had been glad that it was over, but from the look on her uncle's face, Jess realized something was up.

"How was school?" Luke asked, falling in step beside her.

"Great," Jess replied, cranky because of her long day.

"Learn anything new?" He asked.

"Oh, yes," She said curtly. "My forehead is just covered in gold stars."

"So I got a call from Taylor Doose today," Luke informed, ignoring her sarcasm.

"Oh, yeah?" Jess asked back, suddenly remembering what Sarah had said that morning.

"And he claims a reliable source told him that they saw you take money from a collection plate. Money that was meant for fixing up the bridge. I told him that you wouldn't do that. That you weren't a thief. Then I hung up on him," Luke explained, grabbing her arm to make her stop. "Don't get me wrong. I enjoyed hanging up on Taylor, but is there any truth to what he said?"

"Do you think there's any truth to what he said?" Jess asked back, not believing how quickly the Doose girl had set things into motion.

"If you say you didn't do it, then I'll believe you didn't do it," Luke shrugged, letting her arm go.

Jess sighed heavily. "I didn't do it," She said, then turned to continue on her way home.

"That didn't sound very convincing," Luke replied, following her again.

Jess rolled her eyes, before turning on him. "What is it exactly do you want from me? You bring me here to this insane little place and stick me in a school that has the Pledge of Allegiance in six different languages, two of which I've never heard of before! I'm away from my home, my friends and now you want what from me?"

"I'm trying to help you!" Luke replied, nearly shouting.

"Well, stop trying!" Jess shouted back. "Stop talking to me, stop following me, stop lecturing me, stop asking me questions! Just stop!"

"That's what you want?" Luke asked back.

"Yes!" Jess answered.

"Is that really what you want?" Luke asked again.

"Yes!" She repeated.

"Fine," Luke snapped. "You got it!"

"Thank you," Jess nodded.

"You're welcome," Luke nodded back, looking at her sharply.

Jess returned the near glare before the two fell in step again, making their way toward the bridge. Jess felt a little guilty for just snapping on Luke like that, but she was too stubborn to apologize. When they reached halfway across the bridge, Jess felt Luke grab her shoulder and suddenly found herself sailing through the air. An instant later, Jess was spitting out water and pulling her now loose wet hair from her eyes.

"I can't believe you just did that!" She shouted at her uncle as Luke stalked off. Jess slapped the water in frustration, all the time knowing that she totally deserved the dunking Luke had just given her. She now knew that Luke was no push over.

Getting out of the water, Jess squeezed her shirt in a vain attempt to get dry when she heard a giggle from somewhere across the bridge. Glancing over for the source, Jess noticed a grinning Rory Gilmore standing with her hand over her mouth.

"You look like a wet rat," Rory commented.

Looking skyward, Jess was beginning to wonder if the Powers That Be were just fucking with her today. _I hope you bastards are enjoying the show!_

"Let's get you home and into something dry," Rory suggested, smiling at her.

"Sure," Jess agreed, once again feeling that sudden nervousness from their earlier meeting that morning.

The two girls walked in silence, the only sounds being the creaking of the bridge, which was soon followed by the crunching of gravel underfoot as she and Rory made their way to the diner. Not to mention that each step made a squishing sound from her sneakers, along with leaving a terribly gross sensation against her soaking socked feet within each shoe.

"This is so humiliating," Jess muttered.

"And she speaks!" Rory teased.

"Be quiet and hurry up," Jess sighed. "I'm starting to get cold."

Rory stifled a giggle and followed Jess as they entered the diner, walking past gawking customers and climbing the stairs to the apartment.

"What are you doing?" Jess asked, turning around to face Rory.

"I've never been in Luke's place before," Rory replied with a grin. "So I'm using you as an excuse to assuage my curiosity."

"Good to know I'm useful for something," Jess muttered, opening the door. Jess entered and walked over to her side of the room, opening the top drawer of the dresser Luke had purchased for her the day before. This made Jess feel a little bit more like an asshole, since Luke had bought the dresser as well as her new bed.

"Wow," Rory said, following her inside. "This place is awfully small."

"Tell me about it," Jess agreed, then looked over at Rory, who was staring. "Do you mind?" Jess asked, feeling self-conscious.

"What?" Rory asked, oblivious to her meaning.

"Could you turn around, please?" Jess asked, hoping she didn't notice the flush that Jess could feel coming.

"Oh, yeah," Rory nodded, a sheepish grin aimed at Jess. "Sorry."

"It's okay," Jess assured as Rory spun on her heel to face the opposite wall. Jess pulled her soaking shirt and blue jeans off, the clothing making distinct plopping sounds as they hit the floor. She looked over at Rory to make sure she was still looking away before deciding to take a chance and change her wet underwear, rushing to pull on the fresh ones as quickly as possible. She'd gotten her panties on without trouble, but couldn't find any bras to where. _Guess I'm gonna have to go shopping for bras later,_ a flustered Jess thought.

"You need help?" Rory asked without looking back.

"No, I'm fine," Jess replied, nervously. Jess decided to skip the bra altogether and just put on a t-shirt. She then grabbed a pair of loose fitting jeans and pulled them up. "Okay," Jess nodded. "All dressed."

Rory turned and her face immediately went bright red.

"What?" Jess asked, looking down and noticing that she could see everything through her WHITE t-shirt, thanks to her still damp skin. _You've got to be fucking kidding me!_ Jess thought franticly, covering her chest as quickly as she could. _This day just gets better and better,_ Jess griped internally, wishing she'd paid more attention at which t-shirt she had grabbed. _Not that I brought along alot of clothes with me to begin with._

Rory cast her gaze down, then suddenly asked. "You got your own copy of Howl? I would've lent you mine, you know."

"Well, it's not exactly mine, you see," Jess answered, biting her bottom lip before adding. "It's yours."

Rory looked up at that. "You stole my book?"

"Borrowed, actually," Jess corrected, her gaze once again hitting the floor. "I wrote in the margins."

Rory grabbed the book off the table and took a step toward Jess. "You read it before?" She asked, taking another step.

"Only about forty times or so," Jess answered, taking a step toward her.

"What did you write inside?" She flipped the pages, taking another step.

"Thoughts. Theories," Jess answered with a soft tone, taking another step that brought her right in front of Rory. "You know, margin stuff." She whispered, grabbing the other end of Rory's book.

Rory looked up at her, stock still as their eyes met. _What am I doing?_ Jess thought, stepping right against her.

The book fell to the floor as Jess leaned forward and softly kissed Rory on the lips. The contact lasted only around four or five seconds, but the electricity from it threatened to knock Jess on her ass.

"I'm sorry," Jess apologized, embarrassed as she stepped back. "I shouldn't ha-" Jess got out before feeling Rory's lips reconnect with her own once again. Jess couldn't repress the moan that followed, which was matched by one from Rory as well.

"Oh, my God!" Rory exclaimed after about twenty seconds of kissing her, gently pushing Jess back a step. "What the hell am I doing?"

"Um, uh..." Was all that Jess could muster.

A moment past by before a panicked looking Rory shot out of the room, leaving a bewildered Jess standing alone in the apartment.

"What the fuck just happened?" Jess asked aloud, running her finger through her wet hair.

**End Scene.**

**I've decided to give Jess a middle name, which is Lucille. I'll eventually get around to explaining that one later.**

**References :**

**Beanstalk & Laney - Jess' nicknames for Dean Forester and Lane Kim.**

**The Powers That Be - Anybody who has watched 'Angel', then you should get this without explaination. As for those not as enlighted, the PTB (love that acronym) are what keep the balance of the universe in check. They are neither good or evil, they're just, well, there.**


	5. When All Else Fails

5 - When All Else Fails...

"I threw her in the lake!" Luke exclaimed, bursting into the Crap Shack without warning.

"And a hello, hello to you," Lorelai replied, following him into the kitchen as he paced in a circle.

"I threw her in the lake," Luke repeated, throwing his hands up. "You were right! I have no idea what I'm doing! I'm so in over my head, I can't even see my hat!"

"Well, you could if you turned it around," Lorelai smirked, leaning against the counter.

"Don't get cute," Luke frowned.

Lorelai shrugged, then touched his arm. "Calm down and tell me what happened." She led him to the nearest chair and made him sit at the table. "Who did you throw in the lake? Jess?"

"Who else would I be talking about?" Luke sighed, plopping onto the chair. "Rory? Miss Patty? Of course I'm talking about Jess!"

"Sorry," Lorelai smirked, glad that Luke had come to her. "But how am I supposed to know if you don't me tell what happened? And from the beginning, please."

"Well, this afternoon, I get a call from Taylor, which is never a good thing, by the way. Anyway he claims that a reliable source saw Jess take money from the bridge fund yesterday," Luke ranted, getting worked up again as he gestured in his seat. "And when I tried to ask her about it, she copped an attitude and snapped at me. So I snapped back. That girl was being all sorts of impossible, so I lost my temper and threw her in the lake!"

"Is she alright?" Lorelai asked.

"I think so," Luke nodded, calming down a little. "Probably soaking wet, but I think she'll be alright." He sighed again before adding. "I hope she's alright." He glanced at Lorelai. "You think she's alright?"

"Probably," Lorelai assured. "But maybe you should go and check on her."

"Yeah," Luke agreed, getting up from the table to make his way to the front door. Lorelai followed close behind, only to stop when Luke reached the door. "Thanks for listening, Lorelai." He said sincerely, a small smile on his lips.

"No problem," She smiled back with a shrug, grabbing the doorknob.

"You coming in for your danish tomorrow?" Luke asked.

"Tomorrow isn't danish day," Lorelai stated.

"It is now."

"You changed danish day?"

Luke smirked, "See you then?"

"See you then," Lorelai replied, closing the door after Luke.

(GG)

_That did not just happen,_ Rory thought, horrified as she made a beeline for her house. _I did not just make out with another girl, did I?_

"Rory?" A familiar voice asked, causing her to stop. She looked up to see Luke standing in front of her.

"Oh, hi Luke," Rory greeted, sounding breathless even to her own ears. She found herself standing on the bridge again, where everything had became weird between Jess and herself.

_Okay, weirder,_ Rory ammended in her head.

"You alright?" Luke asked, concern painted across his features.

"Oh, I'm fine," Rory lied, shaking her head.

"You sure?" Luke pressed, bending slightly to look her in the eyes. "Cause you're acting kind of the opposite."

"I'm fine," Rory repeated, forcing herself to sound steadier than she actually felt. "Really."

"As long as you're sure," Luke nodded, stepping back. He licked his lips, looking as though he wanted to ask a question.

"What?" Rory asked.

Luke sighed before asking back, "You didn't happen to see Jess come by here, did you?"

"I...I think I saw her heading toward the diner," Rory replied, hoping her distress wasn't obvious. The look of concern returned to his face, telling Rory she'd failed in hiding it. Before Luke could ask her again though, Rory made her way past him. "See you later, Luke," she called over her shoulder.

"See you later, Rory," Luke called back, sounding confused.

_Smooth, Gilmore, _Rory admonished herself, walking as fast as she could back home. _Now he definitely knows something's up._

(GG)

Jess plopped down backwards onto the mattress Luke had bought her yesterday, a feeling of confused euphoria washing over her. She stared at the ceiling, replaying the last ten or so minutes in her mind's eye. From the dunking her uncle had given her, to Rory's soft lips pressed against her own. Jess closed her eyes and sighed, then snorted and smirked at herself.

"I definitely want THAT to happen again," Jess stated aloud before letting out a giggle.

Then she remembered the panic in Rory's eyes and began to worry. Jess got up and started to pace, her hands shoved in her pockets as she walked back and forth in the small apartment.

"Shit, shit, shit," Jess muttered, her pace quickening. _What the hell was I thinking, kissing her like that? Well, she did kiss me back though, didn't she? She also got the hell out of Dodge pretty damn quick right afterwards as well. What does this all mean?_

Jess stopped when she felt something skitter across the floor after hitting her sneakered foot, her eyes drawn to it as it spun away.

_She forgot her book._ Jess realized, staring at Rory's copy of Howl as it came to a stop against the far wall. She walked over, glaring at it like the book had done something to offend her.

"This is all your fault," Jess grumbled, picking the book up from its place on the floor.

"Who the hell are you talking to?" Luke asked suddenly, startling her and causing Jess to drop the offending literature.

"Shit, Uncle Luke!" Jess swore, recovering the book back from the floor. "Lurk much?"

"Watch your language," Luke warned, then pointed to her mattress. "Sit down. We need to talk."

"This should be fun," Jess muttered, tucking a few strands of loose, wet hair behind her ear. She sat down, waiting for the lecture she knew that was coming. She crossed her arms across her chest, suddenly feeling self-concious again about her lack of a bra. _Oh, well. it's not like I have alot to hide anyway._ Jess thought glumly.

"First off, I'm sorry about throwing you in the lake," Luke apologized.

Jess nodded, but remained silent. She watched him as Luke paced back and forth, much like Jess had just been doing a moment ago.

Luke continued his ranting, "Second, I want you to go apologize to Lorelai for whatever you said to her last night."

"Sure, whatever," Jess replied numbly, her mind distracted as she realized the opportunity Luke was giving her. _If I go apologize to Lorelai, then I might get to see Rory. Maybe get some clarity._

"I mean it, Jessica," Luke growled, coming to a stop.

Jess looked up, then nodded vigerously. "Yes, sir."

Luke rolled his eyes, not really believing her for one second.

"Apologize to your girlfriend. Got it." Jess nodded again. "That it?"

"No," Luke shook his head, letting the girlfriend crack slide before continuing. "Thirdly, I need you tell me the truth about what Taylor said."

Jess groaned, "I didn't take the fucking money, okay?"

"And that's another thing," Luke snapped, raising a finger at her. "As long as you're staying here, I will not have you cursing like a sailor on shore leave. Is that clear, young lady?"

Jess let out a heavy sigh before nodding, "Fine."

"Now go downstairs," Luke hiked his thumb to the door. "You're going to be helping out in the diner."

"Now, not only am I your niece," Jess snarked. "But I'm your waitress, too?"

"If you want spending money, then yes." Luke replied.

Jess rolled her eyes, then sighed.

"What?"

"I need to change first," Jess replied.

"What's wrong with what you're wearing?" Luke asked, giving her a strange look.

Jess bit her lip, her arms still crossed over her chest.

"What?" Luke asked, sounding annoyed and confused at the same time.

"I don't have any clean bras to wear," Jess mumbled, looking down.

Luke stood still for a second before heading out the door, muttering under his breath.

(GG)

Lorelai had been sitting down for about five minutes or so, basking in the feeling of making up with Luke, when she heard her daughter enter and head straight to her room without a single word said. This immediately sent off a warning signal in Lorelai's brain since Rory almost always shouted a greeting, even when she was in a hurry. The only times Rory didn't do so was when something was really bugging her, like the latest antics of Paris Gellar for example.

"Hon? Is something wrong?" Lorelai called out, getting up from the couch.

No answer.

"Hon?" Lorelai repeated, starting to get worried by her daughter's silence. "You okay?"

"What?" Rory asked back, sounding distracted.

"You okay, hon?" Lorelai repeated, standing just outside her daughter's bedroom door.

"I'm alright," Rory sighed, where she lay prone on her bed.

"Is it about the Max story, sweetie?" Lorelai asked. "Did they run out of folders at Doose's?"

"Oh, damn," Rory swore, jumping up from her bed. "I completely forgot!"

"Okay," Lorelai said, getting out of her daughter's way as Rory rushed past.

"See you later, Mom!" Rory called over her shoulder, the front door slamming shut behind her.

"What the hell?" Lorelai asked, confused.

(GG)

Jess had just finished serving a couple when she noticed Rory Gilmore making her way across the square, heading towards Doose's Market with purpose and determination. Figuring that this was the perfect opportunity to get the air cleared between them, Jess quickly returned behind the counter and placed the coffee pot back on its burner, grabbing her jacket from behind the counter in the process.

"I'm taking my ten!" Jess shouted before leaving out the front door, not waiting for an answer.

Jess quickly walked over, hoping to catch Rory before she left Doose's. She also hoped that Rory would give her a chance to talk, instead of doing her imitation of the running man. Jess waited outside the door, fighting her nervousness.

_I hope I don't throw up._ Jess sighed, biting her lip in anticipation and dread.

"Oh," Rory gasped, almost bumping into Jess on her way out of Doose's.

Rory looked as though she was about to bolt again, forcing Jess' hand.

"Please," Jess pleaded, sounding more desperate than she intended. "Don't run."

Rory stood still as water before finally saying, "What do you want, Jess?"

"Just want to talk," Jess assured, noticing the other girl's skepicism. "I won't kiss you. I promise."

Glancing both ways as if she were afraid that somebody would overhear, Rory nodded in acceptance. "Come on," Rory gestured for her to follow.

The two girls walked in silence, stopping when they reached the gazebo. Rory glanced around again as she did before.

"Stop that, please," Jess said, sounding exasperated.

"Sorry," Rory's eyes hit the ground, embarrassed.

An awkward silence took hold again with neither girl knowing what to do or say next.

"This is awkward," Jess stated, breaking the quiet.

"No kidding," Rory agreed, sighing. "I'm not really sure what I'm supposed to do."

"You're not the only one confused, you know," Jess replied, rocking back and forth on her feet.

"You kissed me," Rory stated, looking up.

"You kissed me back," Jess countered.

Another awkward silence fell, causing them both to fidget nervously.

"I can't handle this," Rory shook her head, turning to leave.

Jess reached out and grabbed her wrist. "Wait."

"I'm not gay," Rory blurted out, pulling out of the other girl's grasp.

"What?"

"I have a boyfriend," Rory stated, then repeated. "I'm not gay."

Jess tried to reply, but nothing came out.

Rory turned and left without another word, leaving a hurt and confused Jess standing by herself.

"You forgot your book," Jess whispered, but Rory was already too far away to hear. Jess pulled it from her back pocket, not realizing she was crying until some of her tears fell onto the book she was gripping. She wiped them away with the sleeve of her denim jacket, sniffling involuntarily as she did so.

"That went well," Jess croaked aloud.

**End scene.**

**Review please!**


	6. Friendships Strained & Strengthened

6 - Friendships Strained & Strengthened

"It sucks," Rory whined as Lorelai read her paper. "I know it sucks. Just tell me it sucks."

Lorelai turned to her daughter, giving her a reassuring smile. "It's great."

"No," Rory sighed. "It's not."

"It's an 'A'," Lorelai stated.

"Don't lie," Rory cried.

"A-plus."

"You're my mom."

"Is there anything higher than an A-plus?"

"You have to say that."

"An A-plus with a crown and a wand," Lorelai added, knowing that Rory was her own worst critic.

"This is not how you raise a child," Rory griped, shifting into rant mode. Lorelai let her continue, because she knew that Rory needed to vent. "You don't send them out there with a false sense of pride, because out there in the real world, no one will coddle you. I'd rather know right now if I'm going to working at CNN, or carrying a basket around its offices with sandwiches in it."

Lorelai place her hand on her daughter's wrist. "Rory," she said, staring into Rory's blue eyes.

"Yeah?"

"It's great," Lorelai reitorated, smiling at her neurotic daughter.

"Really?"

Lorelai nodded. "Really, really."

Luke showed up then, pouring each of them coffee. "Coffee, coffee," he muttered, sounding harried. "Okay. What do you want? Eggs, toast, combo?"

"What's the rush there, Zippy?" Lorelai asked, giving her friend a strange and worried glance.

Luke sighed shortly, then replied. "I'm swamped this morning. I was supposed to have help this morning, but I don't." He rolled his eyes in the direction of the curtain leading upstairs. "So order now, or I'm bringing you both an egg white omelet with a side of steamed spinach."

"Pancakes," Lorelai quickly said.

"French toast," Rory added just as quickly as her mother.

"Thank you," Luke replied, then turned around just as his niece reached the bottom of the stairs. Luke glanced at his watch before stating, "Jess, you were supposed to be down here..."

"What?" Jess asked when Luke stopped suddenly, staring at his niece's choice of wardrobe.

Lorelai nearly choked on her coffee when she looked up, noticing how the girl was dressed. A tight t-shirt with a pleaded skirt similar to Rory's (only much shorter), completed with her ratty sneakers and black gym socks. The outfit looked to be a mock up of her daughter's Chilton uniform, only without the dress shirt and blazer. "What the hell are you wearing?"

"It's called a skirt, Uncle Luke," Jess stated, looking at him like he was stupid. She did a little spin, which made the pleaded skirt twirl up dangerously high. It took a large amount of restraint on Lorelai's part not to burst out laughing at the scene, a flustered Luke Danes trying to deal with his teenage niece.

"Change," Luke commanded, pointing to the stairs.

"What?" Jess asked, not seeing anything wrong with her fashion choice. Lorelai smirked as Jess tied her t-shirt off just high enough to show off her abs. The girl was definitely doing this on purpose, an obvious ploy to annoy Luke.

"Go upstairs and change into something that doesn't make it look you like a pedophile's wet dream," Luke huffed.

"Hey," Lorelai cut in, feeling like Luke had gone a little too far with that remark. "Her outfit's not that bad."

"You stay out of this," Luke pointed at her, then turned back his niece. "Go change."

"But I like what I'm wearing," Jess replied, looking annoyed.

"How can you like dressing like that?" Luke asked, disbelief apparent on his face.

"It brings out my eyes," Jess dead-panned.

"Part of the deal of you staying here is that you work here," Luke explained, sighing in frustration before continuing. "And you can't work here if I have every single pervert in the tri-county area looking at my niece like she was a piece of meat. That outfit is inappropriate."

"Ahh," Jess smirked. "You really do care, don't you, Uncle Luke?"

"Upstairs," Luke growled. "Now."

"Fine," Jess relented, turning back toward the stairs. "But just so you know, I'm keeping my shirt tied up!"

Luke let out another frustrated sigh before turning to Lorelai. "Thanks for your help," he grumbled, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"No problem," Lorelai grinned.

"I thought she looked alright," Rory stated out of nowhere.

Lorelai gave her daughter a strange look, as if she just remembered that Rory was sitting there. She'd been so quiet the entire time Jess was there, but Lorelai couldn't read the younger Gilmore girls's expression.

"What?" Rory asked.

"Are you alright, Sweets?" Lorelai asked, suddenly realizing how distracted Rory had been acting for the last few times they'd come to Luke's. Especially when Jess was around. Lorelai wondered what could've happened between the two girls to cause her daughter's bizarre behavior.

"I'm fine," Rory replied, though Lorelai could tell she was lying. Or holding something back, at the very least. Lorelai decided to drop the matter for now. Rory would tell her when she was ready.

(GG)

Rory shook her head in bewilderment, still not believing what her grandmother had managed to rook her into doing. She only went to the Gilmore mansion because her grandfather had said he'd had a book for her, but instead Rory found herself an unwilling participant in an archaic ritual that her mother would surely mock her for agreeing to do.

"I'm coming out," Rory stated, walking into the kitchen. She stopped suddenly when she noticed that her mother wasn't alone in the kitchen, because sitting right across from Lorelai was Luke's niece, Jess. Rory's mind raced as her statement rang in her ears, noticing the confused expression on the other girl's face. _What the hell is SHE doing here?!_

"Out of what now?" Lorelai asked, smirking at her daughter's unintentional double edged statement.

"Out into society," Rory answered, gripping the pamphlets Emily Gilmore had given her. "Grandma wants me to go to the D.A.R. Debutante ball."

"What are you talking about?" Lorelai asked, amusement giving way to confusion.

"Like a cotillion?" Jess asked, quirking an eyebrow. "Is this the Victorian Age or something?"

"What are you doing here?" Rory asked harsher than she meant to, looking directly at Jess.

"Don't worry about me," Jess said, getting up from her chair. "I was just about to leave."

"Well, thanks for dropping by Jess," Lorelai gave Rory a sharp look before getting up as well, following the girl to the back door. "I appreciate it."

"Yeah, well," Jess shrugged, stepping onto the back porch. "I was out of line. I shouldn't have said what I said."

"It's all water under the bridge," Lorelai replied as the back door shut behind her, preventing Rory from hearing the rest of their conversation.

Rory sighed before turning to her room, intent on putting away her book bag. She threw the bag on her bed, then flipped through one of the pamphlets in her hand. Rory walked out of her room into the kitchen to find her mother standing with crossed arms, giving her daughter a stern look.

"What?" Rory asked, tossing the pamphlets on top of her mom's business class homework.

"What was that about?" Lorelai countered.

"What was what about?" Rory asked back, playing dumb.

"You were completely rude to her just now," Lorelai replied, looking annoyed.

"What was she doing here?" Rory asked back, getting defensive. "And since when have you been a member of the Jessica Mariano Fan Club?"

"I'm not," Lorelai said, uncrossing her arms. "It's just that she came over to apologize for what happened the first time she came over, which took a lot of guts on her part, I might add. And you go and chase her out of here with your crappy attitude. I thought you liked Jess."

_I do,_ Rory wanted to say, but instead she found herself saying. "She stole my book."

"You mean that one?" Lorelai pointed to a book laying on the kitchen table near her business school notes.

Rory picked it up from the table, flipping through the pages.

"She said she borrowed it and wanted to apologize for taking it without asking," Lorelai stated, then added. "I think you owe her an apology."

Rory nodded as she continued to flip through the book, only to stop at the back cover where something was written in a looping scrawl had caught her eye. Rory smiled as she read it quickly, closing it before looking up at her mom. "I'll get right on that."

"Okay, Sybil," Lorelai tilted her head slightly. "What's going on with you two?"

"Just a misunderstanding, that's all," Rory replied, turning towards her room. "I'm going to get changed."

Rory changed out of her uniform, then grabbed the book from where she'd placed it on her desk. When she exitted her room, Rory found her mom waiting with the pamphlets in her hands.

"Please tell me these aren't what I think they are?" Lorelai asked, waving them around.

"Oh, boy," Rory sighed, rolling her eyes. Her apology to Jess would apparently have to wait.

(GG)

Jess had always been good at hiding at her emotions, adept at burying them so deep that they couldn't affect her. Ever confident in her ability of not letting others get to her, no matter how bad things got for Jess. Even when one of Liz's boyfriends made a pass at her when she was fourteen, Jess didn't let it get to her. Sure, she had the tendency to get sick when she got extremely nervous, but those times were few and far between. Despite this though Jess felt that she was untouchable, trusting that her coping mechanism that had never, ever failed her would continue to do so.

Yet ever since Jess had met Rory Gilmore, she found herself doubting in that ability. That ability that had saved her so many times, that had kept her sane when she should have broke. She had only known Rory for about week now, but the younger Gilmore had managed to do what no one had ever been able to do since Jess was six years old. She had made Jess cry.

Jess hated the fact that Rory had this power over her. She simply hated it.

"So is this pity party private?" Lane asked, standing in front of her new friend. "Or can anybody join in?"

Jess looked up from her seat in the gazebo, giving Lane a weak smile. "Hey, Laney," she greeted.

"Hey, yourself," Lane greeted, sitting down beside her. "What's up?"

"Oh, nothing much," Jess replied, leaning back. "Just killing time before I head back and help with the dinner rush."

"Oh, okay," Lane said, smirking. "That's good, 'cause for a second there, I thought you were brooding again."

Jess snorted, smiling despite her melancholy.

"So what's bothering you, Jess?" Lane asked, her smirk turning into a reassuring smile. "Are you homesick?"

"A little bit," Jess nodded, though this was only partially true. She didn't know if she should tell Lane the truth, unsure of how her first and only friend in Stars Hollow would react to the fact that she was crushing on another girl. It was bad enough that Rory had denied her, Jess didn't know if she could handle it if Lane abandoned her as well.

"What about the other bit?" Lane asked.

Jess sniffled and looked over at Lane, but said nothing.

"Whatever it is," Lane pressed on gently, looking Jess directly in the eyes. "You know you can trust me, right?"

Meeting Lane's unflitchingly gaze, Jess nodded. In that instant, she knew that Lane would never abandon her. This was another girl she had only met a week ago, but it felt as though Jess had known Lane her entire life. There was just something about the Korean girl that made Jess want to trust her, telling her that Lane was the real deal. Somebody who'd be there through thick and thin, something that Jess had never allowed herself to believe that she'd ever have. A true and genuine friend, a person Jess could depend on. No matter what the circumstance.

"You can't tell anybody about this, okay?" Jess heard herself say, taking that final plunge.

(GG)

When Lorelai walked into the diner at 7:30 that evening, Luke handed her a cup of coffee and gestured for her to go upstairs. She looked as though she was about to make a crack, but obviously his expression stopped her. Say what you like about Lorelai, but even she knew when it was best to hold her tongue.

"Jess," Luke called out, his niece looking over at him. "I have to talk privately with Lorelai. You and Caesar hold down the fort."

"Whatever you say, Uncle Luke," Jess nodded vigorously, giving him a fake grin and sarcastic thumbs up.

Luke rolled his eyes before heading upstairs. The moody girl was going to be the death of him if he didn't get some sort of help soon, which was why he had sent Lorelai up to his apartment in the first place. Seeing as Lorelai had a teenage daughter of her own, maybe she could shed some light on the subject of how to raise one. Sure, Rory was one of the most well mannered and polite kids he had ever met, but Luke would take any help right about now. And seeing as Lorelai had offered Luke her sage advice, he was going to take advantage of whatever help she could give him.

"What's up, Burger Boy?" Lorelai asked when he entered the apartment, finding her sitting down at the table in his sad excuse of a kitchen. "Why'd you send me up here? You do realize that I don't put out unless you buy me dinner first, right?"

"Aw, jeez," Luke groaned.

"Okay," Lorelai lifted her hands up. "Sorry. Had to get that out of my system. I'll be serious from now on." He gave her a skeptical look, to which she replied. "I promise."

"I don't know what to do," Luke shook his head, sitting down across from her. "Jess has been acting kind of strange."

"Strange how?" Lorelai asked. "Strange as in withdrawn and moody? Or Kirk Gleason strange? Because if it's the latter, then I suggest you call the guys with the butterfly nets immediately, because Stars Hollow can only afford to have one Kirk Gleason."

"The first one," Luke answered, taking off his hat to grip it nervously in his hands. Taking a deep breath, Luke continued. "I don't know what to do. Whenever she's not working in the dinner or at school, she mopes around the apartment." He bit his bottom lip before adding. "I don't think she realizes it, but I can hear her crying at night. I'm worried about her, Lorelai."

"Really?" Lorelai asked, confused. "She seemed okay this morning."

"Yeah," Luke nodded. "That's the thing. The only time she seems to be herself is when she tortures me." Luke sighed again. "I'd gladly take more of that abuse though if I knew for sure that it was helping her."

Lorelai nodded in understanding before asking, "You want me to talk to her, don't you?"

"If it's not too much trouble," Luke said, his eyes pleading.

"I'll try, but I don't know how much help I can be," Lorelai replied, sipping her coffee. "It might be that she's just homesick, Luke."

"I didn't even think of that," Luke admitted, running his left hand through his hair. "I would have thought getting away from the train wreck that is my sister would be seen as a good thing."

"Train wreck or not, Liz is her mother." Lorelai said sagely, reassuring Luke in his decision of asking for her advice.

Luke looked up and smiled at her, which Lorelai returned in kind. It was a full five seconds before Luke realized that they were having one of THOSE moments again. It was just like that time behind the counter last March, when Lorelai was helping plan out the repainting of the diner. Or like that time before when they were playing poker following her disasterous double date with Sookie, Jackson and that runt whose name Luke couldn't remember.

Suddenly a knock at the door brought him back to the present, breaking the spell once more.

"You two decent?" Jess called from the hall.

"What is it?" Luke asked loudly, getting up from the table to answer the door.

"We're having one of those weird late supper rushes," Jess explained, her hand placed over her eyes as he opened the door. "So when you and Lorelai are finished, we could really use your help downstairs."

Luke reached out and pulled her hand down, "We weren't doing anything but talking, Jess."

"Luke, honey? You didn't happen to see where my bra may have landed?" Lorelai asked from behind him in a teasing tone, inciting a giggle from Jess.

"Ah, jeez," Luke groaned again, but he smirked inwardly at what Lorelai was doing for him. _Thanks, Lorelai._ He thought, sending her another smile before leading Jess out the door back to the busy diner below.

(GG)

Lane sat on her bed, digesting what Jess had told her in the gazebo two hours ago. Admittedly, Lane was a little shocked at what her new friend had told her. It hadn't even occurred to Lane that Jess could be gay, much less the fact that Jess was into her oldest friend, Rory Gilmore. She was even more shocked when Jess told her about the kiss, as well as what had happened between them afterward. At first Lane didn't believe what Jess had told her, but when she looked her in the eye, Lane knew that the skinny girl from Queens was not lying to her. Her hurt was obvious, leaving no reason for Lane to doubt Jess. This developement was mind boggling, to say the least.

"Lane," Mrs. Kim said, knocking on her door. "Rory is here to see you."

"Speak of the devil," Lane muttered, getting up from her bed.

"Hey, Lane," Rory smiled.

For some reason, that smile seemed to get on Lane's nerves. Taking into consideration of what Jess had told her earlier, Lane found herself annoyed with Rory all of a sudden. She had always known that Rory was a little self-absorbed and naive, but this was the first time that Lane had ever felt ashamed to be her friend.

"You okay?" Rory asked when Lane didn't return the greeting.

"No," Lane shook her head, feigning a headache. "I'm not feeling very well. Sorry."

"Uh, alright," Rory nodded. "I'll just go home then. See you tomorrow for breakfast?"

"Yeah, sure," Lane replied in a curt tone.

"Um, bye," Rory waved, sounding confused.

"Bye," Lane waved back.

When Rory had left the room, Lane plopped back onto her bed and stared at the ceiling. Feeling like her loyalty was being torn in half, Lane lamented aloud. "What am I supposed to do?"

**End scene.**

**Thanks for reading and I hope you review. Thanks!**


	7. Dean, Dodger & the Debutante

7 - Dean, Dodger & the Debutante

"Ouch," Dean grunted again, wishing he'd worn his steel-toed boots for the twentieth time today.

"Sorry," Rory winced up at him, cringing in his arms.

The music stopped suddenly, Miss Patty getting up from her stool near the door to offer her sage advice. Again. Dean felt no matter how many times the rotund woman stopped to give the young couple advice, it wouldn't really help them since both he and Rory lacked any sort of rhythm. Even after Lorelai and Christopher had displayed to them on how to do it earlier that day, they still couldn't do the Viennese waltz. In fact, Dean felt as though they were getting worse, if that were even possible.

"This is ridiculous, you two," Patty admonished, shaking her head. "You really should at least have the basics of the dance by now."

"I'm hungry," Rory declared out of nowhere.

"Where did that come from?" Dean asked, snorting in amusement before adding. "And besides, you're always hungry."

"I'm just saying maybe the reason why I'm screwing up more often and badly is because of my hunger," Rory explained, causing Dean to roll his eyes at her obvious ploy.

"Okay," Patty sighed, waved them off. "Go and grab something to eat, but be back here in an hour. I'm going to have you two learn at least one dance before that Debutante's Ball, even if it kills me."

"Thanks, Patty," Rory said, grabbing Dean by his sleeve. "See you in an hour!"

"Yeah," Dean waved, his girlfriend all but dragging him out the door. "Thanks!"

When they reached the bottom of the stairs, Dean watched as Rory looked in every which direction, as if she were making a decision on where to go. A quick moment later, she had apparently made that decision and began pulling him in the direction of Luke's Diner. Dean found this surprising since it seemed to him that Rory had been deliberately avoiding Luke's whenever they were together as of late, but he decided not to say anything about it since it was probably just his imagination. Allowing his girlfriend to lead on, Dean began wondering what he would like to order when a very familiar sounding squeal caught their attention just outside the diner entrance.

"Dean," Clara cried out, racing toward them as fast as her ten year old legs could carry her. "Dean!"

"Hey, Clara," Dean greeted his little sister. "What's up?"

"Mom...and Dad want you...to come...home...right away," Clara huffed out, winded from her frantic run.

"What for?" Dean asked, curious.

"I...don't...know," Clara got out, trying to catch her breath.

"You okay, Clara?" Rory asked, looking at the tween with concern.

"Hi, Rory," Clara smiled at her. "I'm...fine. Just-"

"Okay," Dean interupted, placing his hands on her shoulders. "Stop talking for a second and catch your breath."

Clara gave her brother a sharp look, but obeyed. Rory giggled at their exchange, causing Dean to roll his eyes.

"Better?" Dean asked.

Clara nodded, then continued. "Let's get home. Dad said you gotta come right away."

"He didn't say anything else?"

"Nope."

Dean sighed, "Okay then." Turning to Rory, he said. "Well, looks like you're on your own for a while. Will you miss me?"

"Oh, whatever shall I do?" Rory gasped dramatically, pretending to swoon.

Clara grabbed his sleeve, attempting to pull him home. "Come on, Dean," she whined.

"Alright, alright," Dean said, aggitated. He turned to Rory again, giving her a smile. "See you in an hour, okay?"

"Sure," Rory replied, waving at him as Clara continued to pull on his arm. "I'll just phone my Mom and Dad to join me."

"Bye, Rory," Clara said, still clinging to her brother's sleeve.

"Will you stop that?" Dean asked when they were about fifty feet from the diner, exasperated at his sister's antics.

"But if I didn't do that," Clara explained, giving him her wounded puppy look. "Then you and Rory would have started making out and then we'd both be in trouble when we got home late."

"Huh," Dean grunted, unconvinced.

"That and it's kinda gross," Clara added with a grin.

"I gotta agree with the munchkin," a familiar girl's voice said from behind Dean, startling both him and Clara. "The PDA is kinda unnecessary and a bit over the top, don't you think?"

"Hey, Jess," Dean greeted with a nod.

"Hey, Beanstalk," Jess returned, shoving her hands into her pockets. Dean gave her a quick once over, noticing her usual t-shirt and jeans attire. She gave him that cocky smirk of hers, the same one she always gave him whenever they met. It seemed to say, 'I know something you don't know.' It was both annoying and alluring at the same time, mocking him with its ambiguity. Almost every boy in class seemed to have a thing for her because of that smirk, but they were also intimidated by her because of what Jess had done to the 'Big Red Crew' when she first arrived in town. _Don't fuck around with the new girl!_ That was what everybody was saying around school. Dean's buddy Todd had remarked the other day though that he wouldn't mind a little butt kicking, if it got him some play with the mysterious little hottie named Jess Mariano. Dean immediately called him an idiot, making him wonder why he even hung out with the guy at all.

_I have to agree with Todd though. She is a bit of a hottie,_ Dean thought before catching himself.

"Who are you?" Clara asked, timidly hiding behind Dean.

"Jess," she replied in her usual no nonsense tone. "And you?"

Clara smiled, "I'm Clara. Dean's my brother."

"Well, aren't you just adorable," Jess commented, though Dean couldn't tell if she was being sarcastic or sincere. Jess then turned her attention to Dean, asking. "Aren't you supposed to be learning to dance?"

"Aren't you supposed to be working in the diner?" Dean countered.

"Touche'," Jess replied, smirking.

"What does touche' mean?" Clara asked.

"It's an expression," Dean explained.

"Huh?"

"I'm basically saying that your beanstalk of a brother has a point," Jess clarified.

"Oh," Clara said in understanding, then looked up at her brother. "Why does Jess call you a Beanstalk?"

"Because she's a short little thing like you, Clara," Dean said, returning the other girl's smirk.

"Watch it, Bag Boy," Jess warned, then snorted.

"What?" Dean asked.

"Weren't you guys in a rush a little while ago?"

"Ah, man," Dean groaned. "Dad's going to kill me!"

"See you two later," Jess smirked, walking away towards the diner.

"Bye, Jess," Clara waved before she began pulling on her brother's arm again.

"Yeah, see you," Dean nodded, then grabbed his sister's hand to make a beeline for home. After about ten steps Dean took a quick glance back at the departing Jess, noting how tight her jeans were. _Nice._ He thought with a smirk before continuing on his way.

(GG)

Rory had taken a seat near the far window, staring out at the street while waiting for her parents to arrive for a late lunch (or early dinner, depending on your point of view) when the bells on the door jingled. She glanced over lazily, then sat up quickly when she saw who it was that entered.

"I'm here," Jess announced to her uncle, who was standing at the register looking over his receipts.

"Good to know," Luke replied without looking up.

"You don't need me right now, do you?" Jess returned, walking over to the counter.

"Do a coffee round, and then go do your homework," Luke waved her away, still not looking up from the receipts he was sorting through. "I'll yell if I need you."

"Okie dokie," Jess said, the phrase sounding odd coming from her. Rory noticed Luke look up at that, apparently finding it strange as well. "What?"

Luke shook his head, "Nothing."

By now, Jess had already gone behind the counter to grab the coffee pot. Rory looked away, hoping Jess hadn't noticed her staring.

"Need a top off, Miss Gilmore?" Jess asked when she reached Rory's table. Her tone was hollow, like Rory was a stranger instead of...whatever the hell they were. It wasn't cold, but it certainly wasn't warm either. This is exactly why Rory was no longer comfortable coming to Luke's by herself. Rory hadn't even spoken directly to Jess since that time near the gazebo, so needless to say she didn't really know how to act around the other girl.

"Well?" Jess asked in a slightly impatient tone.

"Oh, yes please," Rory said, kicking herself for staring.

Jess poured the coffee, then left without another word.

"That wasn't awkward at all," Rory muttered under her breath, taking a sip of her coffee.

It was about another five minutes before Lorelai entered the diner, with Christopher on her heels, both of her parents taking a seat across from their daughter.

"Hey, kiddo," Chris greeted, grinning at her. "How's the dancing coming along?"

"I'd rather not say, Dad," Rory shrunk down in embarassment.

"Still?" Lorelai laughed.

"Can we just order please?" Rory asked, then explained. "I've got to meet Dean back at the Miss Patty's in forty-five minutes."

"What'll it be?" Luke asked, appearing out of nowhere.

"I'll have a cheeseburger with chilli fries and make it snappy, mister," Lorelai chimed in, clapping her hands.

"I'll have the same," Chris added.

Luke just gave him a weird look before turning to Rory. "And you, Rory?"

"Where'd Jess go?" Rory blurted out.

"Upstairs, doing homework," Luke answered, hike his thumb over his shoulder. "Now what'll you have?"

"I'll have what they're having," Rory pointed at her parents.

Luke rolled his eyes, then left to go put in their order.

"I'm gonna go use the washroom," Chris stated, rising from his chair.

"I'll inform the media," Lorelai quipped.

"It'll have to be a slow news day if they cared," Chris replied before heading into the back where the washrooms were located.

"So you still haven't apologized, huh?" Lorelai asked when Christopher had left.

"No," Rory sighed.

"Rory," Lorelai chided.

"Well, I never really got the chance," Rory explained, gesturing with her hands. "With the deb thing and the dancing lessons, it just kind of slipped my mind, you know?"

"Why not do it now?" Lorelai asked.

"Now?"

"Yeah, go," Lorelai waved her toward the stairs. "It'll be a couple minutes before our burgers are done, so now is the best time I'm guessing."

Rory nodded, though she wasn't completely sold on the idea.

"Will you get going," Lorelai said.

"Fine," Rory replied, getting out of her chair.

(GG)

"I fucking hate math," Jess muttered, tossing her pen across the apartment. She'd been spending the last few minutes on the same problem, but her focus wasn't really there. It wasn't like she was distracted or anything, Jess just found math to be really fucking boring. "I need some tunes," Jess decided, thinking that maybe music would help her focus, or lack thereof.

She'd just put PJ Harvey's 'To Bring You My Love' in the CD player when there was a knock at the door.

_Guess the diner is picking up,_ Jess thought, walking over to open the door. _I wonder why Luke didn't just use the phone like usual though._

"Hi," Rory greeted when Jess opened the door, giving her a weak smile.

"Oh," Jess said, her tone icy. "It's you."

"Okay," Rory sighed, walking inside. "I guess I deserved that."

"What do you want?" Jess asked, annoyed.

"Just wanted to talk," Rory said, shuffling her feet. "See how you're doing."

"How considerate of you, Miss Gilmore," Jess snarked, closing the door.

"Could you stop with the 'Miss Gilmore', please?" Rory asked, looking uncomfortable.

"And what exactly am I supposed to call you?" Jess asked, then added. "Because any and all of the things that come to mind right now would be considered rude in polite society."

"Would you cut it out with the hostility?" Rory cried. "I'm trying to apologize here."

"Apologize?" Jess asked, her eyes wide in anger. "For what? For stringing me along? For pretending to like me?"

"I wasn't pretending," Rory sighed.

"Whatever," Jess rolled her eyes.

"No, really I do," Rory took another breath. "I like you."

"Could have fool me," Jess muttered.

"Look, I'm sorry about all that," Rory explained, waving her hands in the air. "It's just, I'm not used to having another girl liking me like that, you know? It completely threw me for a loop."

An awkward moment passed by as PJ Harvey continued to play in the background.

"Was I just an experiment, Rory?" Jess suddenly asked. "A little ride on the queer side?"

Rory looked like she'd just been slapped, but recovered enough to answer. "No, I don't know."

Jess sighed, then said. "Look, Rory. I like you. I like you alot, but I don't appreciate being your guinea pig."

"I'm sorry," Rory replied, her voice strained. "I didn't mean to hurt you."

"What now?" Jess asked.

Rory bit her lip, then gazed into her eyes. "Can't we just start over?" She pleaded. "As friends?"

Jess wanted to be strong, to tell Rory to go to hell, but she got sucked in by those beautiful blue eyes and found herself nodding.

"Great," Rory smiled, obviously satisfied with the outcome of their conversation. "I've got to head back downstairs, my mom and dad are probably already eating."

"Okay," Jess replied.

"I'll see you later, Dodger," Rory waved before opening the door.

"Dodger was a boy," Jess said, immediately getting the reference.

"And you're a bit of a tomboy, so it kind of fits," Rory smirked.

"Go, eat," Jess waved her out.

"So we're good now, right?" Rory asked, looking worried.

"Yeah, we're good," Jess smiled, closing the door. She pressed her forehead against the door, listening to Rory's steps as the other girl walked down the stairs. "Why can't I say no to you?" Jess whispered, wishing she wasn't so weak when it came to Rory Gilmore.

**End scene.**

**Hope you liked it and, as usual, I ask you to review.**

**References :**

**To Bring You My Love - The best album (in my opinion) that Polly Jean Harvey has released to date, 'To Bring You My Love' is a CD that any true fan of music owns, much less is aware of. If you don't own it, go buy it. You won't regret it.**

**Dodger - Do I really have to explain this one?**


	8. Vandalism & Videos

8 - Vandalism & Videos

Jess woke up with a start, her shaking pillow startling her for a second before she groggily remembered the reason behind it. Reaching under the pillow, Jess clicked the latch in the old alarm clock she'd found in Luke's closet and got out of her bed. She glanced over in the darkness, listening to her uncle's snoring. Making sure that the alarm that had woken her hadn't done the same to Luke, Jess grabbed the clothes she had tucked under her bed and quietly made her way to the door. She winced at the slight squeak of the hinges and froze, then began moving again when she was certain that Luke was still sound asleep. When she reached the hallway, Jess quickly changed her clothes. In stocking feet, a graceful Jess stealthily walked down the stairs and, when she arrived at the bottom, put on her sneakers.

_Thank you, Liz, for letting me take all those ballet lessons._ Jess thought, grateful for one of the few things her mom had done for her.

Jess walked over to the counter and pulled a bag she had secreted that afternoon, when the usually hawk-eyed Luke hadn't been watching her. A penlight in her hand, Jess rifled through the bag silently, taking inventory of the contents. Satisfied with what she found and placing the items in each of her pockets, Jess made her egress via the diner's rear door.

_I'm Jessica Mariano,_ Jess chuckled to herself as she crept in the shadows toward her target. _Ninja Girl Extraordinaire. Eat your heart out, Hattori Hanzo._

Jess licked her lips in anticipation, smiling in the predawn darkness. She knelt down on the pavement, pulling a large piece of chalk from the right hand pocket of her jacket, and proceded to draw what appeared to be a body outline. Jess had never considered herself much of an artist, but this sort of work required a steady hand rather than actual artistic talent.

"This will teach you to lie about me stealing money," Jess muttered, standing proudly over her handiwork. She then pulled a roll of police tape from her other pocket, setting it up around the perimeter of the outline.

_Now for the coup de grace,_ Jess smirked. She produced a bandana from her pocket, one that she had swiped almost a week beforehand in study hall. _This is going to be priceless._

With her work done, all Jess had to do was wait until dawn. Wait until that ass-clown Taylor Doose came to open his precious market, only to find the body outline right outside his main entrance. She wished she could be here to see his face, but Jess would most likely be working the Saturday morning shift. _Oh, for this, I'll make the time._ She smirked, deciding that it was worth the risk to return to the scene of the crime. _Speaking of time._ Jess glanced at her watch, its glow-in-the-dark hands ticking down.

_3:25am,_ Jess read. _That gives me almost four hours of sleep before I gotta get up for the breakfast shift. Good thing I took that nap after school, otherwise I'd be totally useless tomorrow morning._

Feeling extremely proud of herself, Jess made her way home.

(GG)

"So, Janie Fertman's trying to be my friend again," Lane informed Rory, as the two girls walked along the street.

"Yikes," Rory replied, wincing. "What kind of vibe were you giving her?"

"Oh, you know," Lane gestured, explaining. "My patented Keith Richards, circa 1969, don't-mess-with-me vibe, with a thousand-yard Asian stare thrown in for good measure."

"That should do it," Rory shrugged, then came to sudden stop when she and Lane turned the corner. "What's happening up there?" Rory asked, gawking at the spectacle outside Doose's Market. A large crowd had gathered near the corner, as well as the local police and Stars Hollow's only firetruck, blocking off traffic for that section of the square.

Lane snorted in amusement.

"What?" Rory asked.

"Nothing," Lane shook her head, then pointed ahead. "Hey, there's Dean. Maybe he knows something."

Rory gave her friend a suspicious glance, but decided to drop the matter. She was just glad that Lane had stopped acting so distant, though as to why she'd done so was still beyond Rory.

"Hi," Rory greeted her boyfriend, who was standing near the scene in question.

"Hey," Dean returned, a smile on his face.

"What's going on?" Rory asked, her eyes immediately drawn to the chalk outline.

"I don't know," Dean shrugged. "I got here and this is what I found. I told him it looked fake, but he didn't believe me."

"And you have such an honest face," Rory replied.

"Well, he must not love me as much as you do," Dean said.

"Ungh," Lane grimaced in disgust at their display before forcing her way back through the crowd.

"What's with her?" Dean asked, to which Rory could only shrug.

Rory looked over when Sheriff Crosby arrived, speaking with Taylor on the matter at hand.

"Everyone's accounted for, Taylor," she explained. "Looks like this is just an elaborate prank...?"

"It looks so real, Sharon," Taylor cried, then gave Sheriff Crosby a confused look. "What is it?"

"Was that bandana there this entire time?" Sharon asked, pointing to the black cloth laying near the market's front door.

"A clue," Bootsy cried, sounding like Scooby Doo when he said it.

"Be quiet," Sharon told him, annoyed with the newstand owner and his incessent jabbering. This wasn't that surprising, since everybody found Bootsy annoying.

"Where'd they get the police tape?" Taylor asked, gesturing.

"Kids have their ways," Sharon replied, then carefully picked up the bandana.

"Who'd be depraved enough to pull a stupid prank like this?" Taylor complained.

"Hey, I recognize that," Somebody called out from the crowd. "Doesn't that belong to Shane Williams?"

Taylor growled, "Why that little..."

Rory looked around to see where the voice had came from, thinking it sounded alot like Lane. As Rory was scanning the crowd, her eyes fell on Jess leaning against a lamp post across the street. Jess smirked knowingly at her, then turned and headed back to the diner.

_What the hell?_ Rory wondered.

(GG)

"So what's next on the agenda?" Lane asked, laying down on Jess' bed.

"Your guess is as good as mine," Jess shrugged, dressed in jeans and a light undershirt.

"I hope my acting was up to par," Lane yawned, kicking her left foot against the bed.

"I was the one up at three in the morning, so why are you tired?" Jess asked, snorting at her accomplice.

"Empathy," Lane shrugged with a grin.

"You think we fooled anybody?" Jess asked, opening the top drawer of her dresser.

"I have no idea," Lane answered, sitting up. "But it was definitely worth it to see Taylor get all worked up. That's always funny."

"I think Rory might be onto us," Jess stated, pulling out a black sweater.

"Don't worry," Lane assured. "She won't say anything, even if she has figured it out."

Jess placed the sweater in front of her, turning to Lane. "How's this look?"

Lane made a disapproving expression, shaking her head.

Jess shrugged again, then grabbed a light brown sweater. "How about this?"

"Perfect," Lane nodded, noticing how it brought out her friend's eyes.

Jess pulled the tight fitting sweater over her head, then straightened it out so it was snug.

"Why are you changing your clothes again? Lane asked.

"Just before you came here, Kirk accidently spilled his chocolate milk on me," Jess explained.

"How did it just land on you shirt?"

"I was wearing an apron, which spared my jeans from the mess."

"You've had quite the eventful morning," Lane stated.

Jess chuckled, "Yeah, I guess I have."

"So what do you have planned tonight?"

"Nothing much," Jess shrugged. "Why?"

"Well, I thought we'd grab some movies and watch them here," Lane told her.

"Why not at your place?" Jess asked.

Lane looked at Jess like she was retarded.

"Oh, right," Jess nodded, chuckling at her mental lapse. "Mama Kim."

"So I'll come and get you when you're done," Lane said, getting up from the bed. "Then we'll head over to the video store."

"Remember, I'm not done until seven o'clock," Jess reminded.

"You've got some of the milk on your shoes," Lane pointed out.

"That is so weird how it manage to hit everything but my pants," Jess marvelled.

"Anyway," Lane said, walking toward the door. "I'll see you later."

"Yeah, sure," Jess replied, sounding distracted. As Lane closed the door, she heard her friend mumble something about finding her other pair of shoes. Lane chuckled in amusement, stepping down the stairs into the diner.

(GG)

Dean stood dumb-founded as Taylor reamed out his niece Sarah on her choice of friends, raving on how Shane Williams was indefinitely banned from his market.

"And you are no longer allowed to associate with that little delinquent, do you hear me, young lady?" Taylor pointed at her, his face red.

"Yes, Uncle Taylor," Sarah replied, sounding uncharacteristically meek.

"Now," Taylor huffed, calming down slightly. "Get out there and clean up what your little friend did to my sidewalk."

"Yes, sir," Sarah nodded, looking like she was on the verge of tears.

"Wow," Rory said, coming up from behind him. "That was harsh."

"Hey, when did you get here?" Dean asked, placing an arm around her shoulders.

"Just in time to see Big Red almost burst into tears," Rory replied, looking up at him.

"Yeah," Dean nodded. "I feel almost kind of sorry for her, you know."

"Me too," Rory agreed, then frowned. "But then I remember what she tried to do to Lane, and I get over it."

"Wow," Dean chuckled. "Who's being harsh now?"

Rory shrugged, then asked. "You still coming over for movie night?"

"Yeah, I'll be done here in a couple of minutes," Dean stated, smiling at her. "Then I'll meet you at your house."

"Hello, kiddies," Lorelai greeted, joining them from seemingly out of nowhere.

"Junk food supplies all accounted for?" Rory asked her mother.

"Aye, Captain," Lorelai saluted, holding up a plastic bag full of various candy goods.

"Red vines?"

"Check."

"Jujubies?"

"Ci."

"Graham crackers, chocolate and marshmellows?"

"S'more assembly materials are accounted for."

"Very good," Rory nodded, like she was a military commander or something.

"I see you've done this before," Dean commented.

"Yes, indeed," Lorelai grinned at him.

Rory turned to Dean. "We're going to head over to Luke's and grab some burgers before running home. Do you want us to order you something?"

"Sure," Dean nodded. "I'll just have what you guys are having."

"Okay," Rory gave him a quick kiss. "See you at the house in twenty minutes then?"

"It's a date," Dean agreed.

"Okay, you two are officially sickening," Lorelai commented before taking her purchases out the back door.

"Bye," Rory smiled before following her mom out the back.

"Bye," Dean parroted, giving her a little wave.

(GG)

"Luke!" Lorelai shouted, pushing the door open. "Where are you, Burger Boy?"

"Do you always have to make a ruckus when you come in here?" Luke asked, exasperated.

"Yes," Lorelai grinned, sitting down in the stool in front of the register. "As a matter of fact, I do!"

"Thought as much," Luke grunted. "What do you want?"

"Three loaded burgers to go, please," Rory ordered, seeming to know that Lorelai was about to say something inappropriate.

"Fries as well?" Luke asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"Of course," Lorelai affirmed.

"Be right back," Luke said over his shoulder, walking into the kitchen.

"We'll be waiting," Lorelai grinned, then turned to Rory. "Hey, I have an idea."

"Okay, coming from you, that statement is frightening," Rory stated.

"Har har," Lorelai frowned. "Anyway, why don't we invite Jess over for movie night?"

"That's a great idea," Rory agreed, about to head upstairs.

"She isn't up there," Luke informed her as he came back from putting in their order, Rory stopping just short of the curtain.

"Where'd she go?" Rory asked.

"She and Lane said something about grabbing some movies," Luke replied.

"And where were they planning on watching these movies?" Lorelai asked, grinning wryly at him.

"Upstairs, I guess," Luke explained, looking uncomfortable under her gaze.

"So they'd be at the video store then?" Rory asked.

"More than likely," Luke confirmed, without actually confirming.

"Mom?" Rory gave her a questioning glance.

"Go ahead," Lorelai answered, knowing what her daughter was about to ask.

"Thanks," Rory said before bolting out the door.

"So you often let them have movie night upstairs?" Lorelai asked.

"No, this is the first time actually," Luke answered, grabbing the coffee pot and a cup for Lorelai. "And seeing as Jess helped with the diner since early this morning, I thought the least I could do was let her off an hour early to go have some fun."

"That's awfully nice of you," Lorelai commented as he placed the cup in front of her.

"Yeah, I suppose," Luke shrugged. "She's a good kid, most of time. Well, when she's not dressing up in my flannel to make fun of me, that is."

Lorelai laughed, remembering the scene from a week ago. She and Rory had just returned from the Debutante's Ball and had stopped at Luke's for quick bite to eat, when halfway through their meal Jess came downstairs wearing one of Luke's flannel shirts and an old baseball cap. Jess began wiping down tables, making a show of grumbling as she worked. At first Luke tried to ignore her, but finally lost it when Jess had commented on the outfit being the diner uniform. Luke immediately sent the girl upstairs, while Rory and her tried not to laugh too hard at them. They failed miserably, of course.

"Shut it," Luke grumbled before turning away to the kitchen, most likely to check on her burgers.

(GG)

"So what do you have so far?" Lane asked, coming up to Jess with two tapes in her grasp. Jess glanced at the three tapes in her hands, still undecided on which of them she wanted to see more. Two of the titles were of the classic Hong Kong action genre, while the third was the newest movie by her personal favorite action star, Chow Yun Fat. In fact, all three had Chow Yun Fat starring in them. Jess felt torn between her choices. "Well?"

"I'm a little undecided here, Laney," Jess replied, holding them up for her friend to see.

"You're kidding, right?" Lane asked, after seeing what Jess had chosen.

"What?" Jess asked, getting defensive. "You got something against my man, Chow?"

"No, it's just that I didn't know you liked cheesy Hong Kong action flicks," Lane teased.

"Who likes cheesy Hong Kong action flicks?" Rory asked, suddenly appearing beside them.

"Jess," Lane replied with a smirk.

"They are not cheesy," Jess defended.

"What did you chose anyway?" Rory asked.

"Well, I got 'the Killer', which has Chow Yun Fat playing an elite assassin who has a change of heart and tries to go straight," Jess explained.

"Like 'Grosse Pointe Blank'?" Rory interupted.

"Yes, but only better because of the huge body count and bad english dubbing," Jess answered, then continued. "And I also have another Chow classic in 'Hard Boiled', where he's a cop trying to capture a gun runner, who is using a...you know what? I'm not gonna ruin that one for you. Anyway, I think I've watched both around five times each."

"And what's your last one?" Rory asked.

"Um, this one," Jess replied, holding up the last movie for Rory to see.

"Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," Rory read aloud.

"I really want to watch it, but I really want to watch the other ones too," Jess began babbling, feeling like she had to defend her choice in movies. Again.

"I vote for the last one," Lane said, then added when the other girls looked at her. "What? I've heard good things about it."

"Flying kung fu guys in robes it is then," Jess nodded, putting the other videos on the wrong rack in front of her, then turned to Lane. "What'd you get, Laney?"

"I had a bit of a problem picking between the two, so I thought I'd get you to help me," Lane explained, showing them to her friends.

"And you're questioning my taste in movies?" Jess asked after reading the titles.

"What's wrong with my choices?" Lane asked, now her turn to get defensive.

"They're teen comedies," Jess smirked.

"Well, this one's got Heath Ledger," Lane defended, holding up '10 Things I hate About You'.

"Uh-huh," Jess grunted, unimpressed.

"Julia Stiles?" Lane added, trying to entice her.

"Okay, I'll give that one props for having her in it," Jess conceded, then pointed at the case for 'Bring It On'. "But there is no way I'm going to watch a movie with Kirsten Dunst as a cheerleader. It sounds too stupid."

"Heath and Julia it is then," Lane stated, placing the case for 'Bring It On' onto the wrong rack like Jess had done with hers.

"Now that that's cleared up," Rory said. "Why don't you guys come over and watch them at the house with me, Dean and my mom?"

Jess swallowed, not really looking forward to this prospect.

"I don't know, Rory," Jess began, only to have Lane come to her rescue.

"Sorry, Ror," Lane cut in, apparently seeing the apprehension in Jess. "But we've kind of been planning this for the last week, so we're going to have to take a rain check. Next time, maybe?"

Rory looked disappointed, but hid it quickly behind a smile. "Okay, I was just throwing the invitation out there for you."

"Thanks for the thought, Rory," Lane smiled, making Jess wonder what she did to deserve such a good friend like Lane. Which in turn made Jess feel guilty since Lane was Rory's friend first.

"Well, see you guys later," Rory waved before leaving.

"Bye," Lane replied, while Jess simply waved back.

When Rory had left, Jess and Lane went to the counter to pay for their rentals.

"You didn't have to do that," Jess said when they got outside, walking beside Lane toward the diner.

"Yeah, well," Lane shrugged, like it was the most natural thing in the world for her to look out for her friend. "I didn't think you'd want to be in the same room as the girl you like when said girl is cuddling up to her boyfriend five feet away. Seemed kind of a boneheaded move on Rory's part, considering that she knows how you feel about her."

Jess nodded, once again feeling both grateful and guilty at the same time. "Thanks, Laney. You're the best."

**End scene.**

**Thanks for reading and please feel free to review.**

**References :**

_**Thank you, Liz, for letting me take all those ballet lessons.**_** - An allusion to Summer Glau's career aspirations before a knee injury caused her to pursue acting instead.**

**Hattori Hanzo - A character from the video game 'Samurai Showdown', who in turn is based (albeit, very loosely) on an actual historical figure in Japanese history.**

**Chow Yun Fat - Only the greatest Hong Kong action hero of all time! The three movies mentioned above are personal favorites, thus they get props!**

**Grosse Pointe Blank - A dark comedy about an assassin trying to go straight starring John Cusack as Martin Blank, who grew up in Grosse Pointe, Michigan. Hence the title of the film.**

**Bring It On - A comedy about cheerleading and stuff, which happened to have Rini Bell (she plays Lulu later on in GG) starring in a minor role. It also has Eliza Dushku in it, who is a personal favorite actress of mine.**

**10 Things I hate About You - One of my favorite Julia Stiles flicks, though I wish they could've showed her flashing scene from the front. Um, anyhow...**


	9. Jealousy Has Blue Eyes, Not Green

9 - Jealousy Has Blue Eyes, Not Green

"You're just making that worse," Jess said, groggily entering the diner from upstairs.

"Big help. Thanks," Luke grunted, giving her an annoyed look. "And it's about damn time you got out of bed."

"It's my day off, so leave me alone," Jess yawned, then asked. "What time did Laney leave?"

"About eight or nine, I think," Luke grunted, returning to what he was doing before Jess had come down.

"I wonder why she didn't wake me up?" Jess asked aloud.

"She tried, and you bit her," Luke answered, giving up on the toaster. "At least that's what she said before heading home."

"You bit Lane?" Rory asked from her table, her tone indicating disbelief and shock. Jess glanced over and noticed the Gilmore girls sitting at the table near the window, accompanied by an older woman who Jess didn't recognize.

"I'll apologize to her the next time I see her," Jess said, flipping her hand in dismissal.

"Who's this beautiful young lady, Lucas?" The older woman asked, giving Jess a bright, friendly smile.

"Come on," Luke gestured for Jess to follow, grabbing a couple of plates for an order Caesar had just finished. Smiling at the older woman, with Jess in silent tow, Luke sidled up to the three woman and placed the plates in front of them. "It's Liz's kid."

"It has a name," Jess stated, inciting a giggle from Rory and Lorelai. Their older companion just smiled, obviously amused.

"Mia, this is Jessica," Luke began.

"Jess," Jess corrected.

"Fine," Luke sighed, exasperated. "Mia, this is my niece, Jess. Jess, this is Mia. She owns the Independence Inn."

"Huh," Jess grunted.

"That's, 'Hello, nice to meet you,' in slacker," Luke added.

"What's for breakfast?" Jess asked, trying to suppress another yawn.

"It's almost noon," Luke stated.

"Almost noon, so that means there's still room to play, huh?" Jess asked, smirking at her uncle.

He rolled his eyes, "What do you want?"

"French toast and maple syrup," Jess answered, joining the three other women at their table.

"That sounds good," Lorelai piped in, already having begun eating her food. "Can I change my order?"

"Ooh, can I change mine as well?" Rory asked, also having eaten some of her food.

"Look what you started," Luke chided his niece.

"What can I say," Jess shrugged. "Guess I'm just a regular trend-setter, huh?"

"Mia?" Luke looked at her.

"My order is fine, Lucas," Mia smiled.

"I'll be right back," Luke said, grabbing Rory and Lorelai's dishes before turning back toward the kitchen.

"So how do you know my uncle?" Jess asked, turning to Mia. "Is it like a Mrs. Robinson deal, or what?"

Lorelai gasped in shock and Rory's eyes went wide, while Mia simply laughed.

(GG)

The next afternoon Rory was standing outside of Doose's Market, waiting for Dean while he grabbed his check, when Jess walked up to her.

"Should you be standing here all alone?" Jess asked, smiling at her. "I hear this is a pretty dangerous corner."

"I'm fine," Rory curtly replied, annoyed with the other girl.

"Feeling succinct today?" Jess asked, her eyebrows raised.

"Pretty much," Rory answered.

"Did I do something to offend?"

Rory simply pointed down as a response.

"Ah," Jess nodded, stepping back to admire the outline. "What about it?"

"You did it," Rory stated lowly, so that any would be eavesdroppers wouldn't hear. "I know you did this. And you somehow got Lane involved in it."

"Whatever could you be talking about, Miss Gilmore?"

"You know I hate it when you call me that," Rory said, glaring at Jess.

"I don't see why you're getting your panties in a bunch over this, Rory," Jess replied.

"And I don't see why you have to involve my best friend in your shenanigans and possibly get her into big trouble in the process," Rory snapped.

"Laney's a big girl, Ror," Jess stated, annoyed. "She can make her own decisions. I can't force her to do anything she doesn't want to do." She took a breath, then added. "And neither can you. Laney is her own person, you know."

"Her name is Lane," Rory nearly shouted, suddenly very angry at how easily Jess had seen right through to her jealousy. "Lane! Get her name right, you d-"

Jess quickly placed her hand over Rory's mouth, her eyes narrowing.

"I'd pick my next word very carefully, Rory," Jess warned, causing Rory's eyes to pop wide in surprise.

"Dumb-ass," Rory finished lamely when Jess removed her hand, suddenly intimidated. She glanced downward and braced herself, though she didn't really know what to expect. _Please don't hit me._

"Oh," Jess replied in a more relaxed tone. "I thought you were going to say something else."

Rory sighed in relief, then looked up and met the other girl's gaze. "What did you think I was going to say?"

Jess looked down, muttering under her breath.

"What was that?" Rory asked, not quite catching her words.

"It starts with a 'd' and rhymes with like," Jess clarified, looking up once more.

"I'd never, ever call you that, Jess," Rory said with sincerity, hoping the other girl believed her. "Ever."

"Good to know," Jess nodded, then pointed at the outline. "So did you at least think it was funny?"

"Not the point, Dodger," Rory said, trying to suppress a smile.

"You thought it was funny," Jess smirked, telling Rory that she'd failed in her attempt.

"Hey, I got it," Dean declared suddenly, exitting Doose's and coming to a stop in front of the two girls.

"Beanstalk," Jess greeted, cooly.

"Jessica," Dean returned, shoving his check into a pocket.

"You two know each other?" Rory asked.

"We do go to the same school, Ror," Jess explained.

"Right," Rory nodded, feeling stupid for not realizing that on her own. _Okay, this is awkward._

"Well, I gotta go," Jess said, shoving her hands into her jacket pockets.

"See you around," Rory waved.

"Seems to turn out that way, doesn't it?" Jess smirked, shifting her gaze between the couple. Jess then turned around back the way she'd come, their entire conversation racing through Rory's mind as she and Dean began the other way. Rory knew for a fact that she was jealous, but it wasn't quite clear of who she was jealous of more. Was it Jess because of all the time she'd been spending with Lane, monopolizing her oldest friend's company as of late? Or was she envious of Lane, because she seemed to be getting to know Jess so well?

(GG)

"So Rory yelled at me today," Jess stated, walking into Lane's bedroom unbidden.

"What?" Lane asked, taken off guard by the other girl's sudden entrance and statement. "Why did she do that?"

"She thought I bullied you into helping me with the prank," Jess answered, plopping backwards onto the foot end of the bed.

"You've got to be kidding me," Lane groaned, feeling very annoyed with her oldest friend. "I can't believe she did that!"

"Lane?" Jess looked over at Lane, who was sitting against the headboard opposite of her.

"Yeah?"

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure."

"How much time have you spent with Rory since we met?" Jess asked, though it sounded as though she already knew the answer.

"Not very much, actually," Lane admitted, knowing full well why Jess had asked the question. _Now I feel like a jerk._

"She's jealous," Jess stated.

"Jealous?" Lane asked.

"You're her best friend, Laney," Jess explained, turning her head to stare up at the ceiling. "And she thinks I'm stealing her best friend. So...of course, Rory is jealous."

_I don't think that's the only reason why she's jealous,_ Lane thought, but remained silent.

(GG)

"You were awfully quiet during dinner," Lorelai noted as she drove the jeep home, hoping to prod Rory into talking. Her daughter had been acting distracted for the last few days, though Lorelai couldn't figure out why. At first Lorelai thought it was the business with the portrait, but Rory continued to act this way even after it was finished. Through the entire dinner tonight, Rory had just picked at her food, barely eating any of it. Maybe it had to do with school, but Rory would have said something by now already. So Lorelai found herself at a loss. Even if she was having a meltdown about her argument with Sookie and what caused said argument, Lorelai should have made time for her daughter and talked it out with her. "Something bugging you, Hon?"

"I'm fine," Rory said, though Lorelai could tell that she was lying.

"No, you're not," Lorelai replied.

"Please drop it, Mom," Rory whined.

"You've been moping for the last few days," Lorelai pressed. "So spill."

"It's nothing."

"Rory."

Rory sighed, obviously realizing that Lorelai wasn't going to let it go this time.

"I'm waiting, kid," Lorelai stated.

"Lane and Jess," Rory said finally.

"What about them?"

"I'm not really sure that Jess is a good influence on Lane," Rory said, unconvincingly.

"Why do you say that?" Lorelai asked.

"Well, you know how Jess took my book without asking?"

"I thought you two put that behind you."

"We did, but that was before I knew that Lane was helping Jess prank Taylor," Rory blurted out, then cringed when she realized what she just said.

"What?" Lorelai asked, pulling the jeep over.

"The phoney murder," Rory explained. "I think...no, I know that Jess and Lane were behind it."

"Do you have any proof?" Lorelai asked. "Because you can't make accusations like that without anything substancial to back it up, Rory."

"Jess pretty much confirmed that she did it a couple of days ago, when I ran into her outside of Doose's on Monday," Rory nodded, then added. "But seeing as there were no witnesses, it would just be my word against hers."

"That's it?" Lorelai asked, surprised. "That's what been bugging you for the last week? A well thought out prank that resulted in Taylor's brat of a niece having to clean it up?"

"No," Rory shook her head. "What's bugging me is that Jess got Lane involved, which could get Lane into big trouble with her mom if Mrs. Kim ever found out the truth."

"It sounds to me like you're jealous of all the time Jess and Lane are spending together," Lorelai said, quickly adding. "But that's just my opinion, what do I know?"

"Fine, take her side why don't you?" Rory huffed, crossing her arms across her chest.

"What are you talking about now?" Lorelai asked, getting frustrated with her daughter and her mood swings. "Who's side?"

"Jess pretty much said the same thing when I confronted her," Rory answered, pouting like a child. "She said I was getting angry over nothing, then said that Lane was her own person and I shouldn't be worrying myself on things that don't concern me."

"I hate to say this, Rory," Lorelai replied. "But Jess is right."

"I know she's right," Rory sighed. "But I just hate that she nailed it right on the head like that. Am I really that transparent?"

Lorelai smiled. "Sometimes you can be, kid."

"Can we go home now?" Rory asked.

"Yeah," Lorelai nodded, pulling away from the side of the road and continuing the ride home. "Sure."

A few minutes went by before Rory asked. "Mom?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for letting me vent," Rory smiled at her.

"No problem," Lorelai replied, feeling like she had accomplished something good. _Now if I can just apologize to Sookie, then everything will be hunky-dorey in Gilmore-ville._

**End scene**

**Yes, the argument between Lorelai & Sookie during 'the Ins & Outs of Inns' still took place, I just didn't show it here. Hope that clears up any confusion concerning Lorelai's thoughts at the end there.**

**Reference time :**

**Mrs. Robinson - Anne Bancroff's character in 'the Graduate', who has an affair with a younger man, played by Dustin Hoffman.**


	10. Henry, Tristan & Paris, Too

10 - Henry, Tristan & Paris, Too

Luke walked into the diner, having stepped out to grab something important for Jess. Seeing that his niece was currently speaking with Lane at the counter, Luke decided to make his approach. As he walked over, he heard a little of their conversation.

"Henry called me," Lane said excitedly, a huge grin on her face.

"Who the hell is Henry?" Jess asked, confused.

"I never mentioned Henry before?" Lane asked.

"No," Jess shook her head in response.

Lane shrugged, "Well, anyway. He called."

"I take it you really like him, huh?" Jess asked.

"Yeah," Lane nodded, obviously excited.

"And how did you get this by Mama Kim?"

"He phoned Rory, who then called me for a three way," Lane explained, then winced.

"You know what Lorelai would say to that statement, don't you?" Jess smirked.

_Dirty, _Luke snorted in amusement, walking behind the counter to stand near the antique register.

"I meant made a three way call," Lane corrected.

"That's not much better."

_Okay, I can't take this inane conversation any longer,_ Luke decided.

"Jess," he called, reaching into his backpocket.

"What?" Jess turned her attention to him.

"Here," Luke said, throwing a neon pink plastic object at his niece.

"What the hell?" Jess snapped, displaying great dexterity by catching the object.

"Nice catch," Lane commented, impressed.

"So what's this?" Jess asked in horror, looking at the cell-phone Luke had tossed at her.

"It's a cell-phone," Luke gruffly answered, looking at his niece like she was stupid.

"You know what I mean," Jess sighed, exasperated. "Considering how everybody, myself included, knows how you feel about these things, I'm just wondering why you're giving me something that'll cause me brain cancer. And most likely from just the color!"

"It's for emergencies." Luke clarified.

"Like?" Jess asked, confused.

"Fire, flood, plague," Luke counted off.

"So you want me to call you in case of the Apocolypse, then?" Jess asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"Exactly," Luke nodded, then walked into kitchen as the girls began their conversation once again.

(GG)

"So tell me more about this Henry character," Jess smirked after Luke disappeared into the kitchen. "Is he cute?"

"You better believe it," Lane grinned, then felt it necessary to add. "And he's going to be a doctor."

"Wow," Jess raised her eyebrows in surprise.

"I know," Lane squealed, feeling like she was on cloud nine.

"So what did you guys talk about when he called?" Jess asked, smirking at Lane.

"Well, he invited me to watch him and his english group do a scene from Romeo and Juliet this Saturday," Lane explained, practically twittering in her seat.

"And what did you say?"

"I accepted!" Lane squealed again.

"Of course you did," Jess chuckled.

"Wanna come?" Lane asked, hoping Jess would say yes.

"I don't see why not," Jess replied. "Though I'll have to pass it by Luke, just to make sure."

"Oh, see if you can snag the truck while you're at it," Lane suggested.

"That might pushing it," Jess remarked warily.

"Can I borrow your phone later?" Lane grinned.

"Why?" Jess asked.

"Because I'd like to talk to Henry for more than five minutes," Lane explained. "And your cell-phone will help me do just that!"

Jess sighed, rolling her eyes. "Should've seen that coming."

"Yeah," Lane agreed, her head bobbing. "You really should have."

(GG)

_What did I do to deserve this?_ Rory fumed as Dean stood off to the side, watching her group rehearse for their project. _More like jealously guarding. _Rory frowned, then scowled furiously at the smirking blonde across from her as Tristan silently taunted his taller rival. _If there was ever a better time for justified murder, now would be it. I can't believe I kissed that idiot._ She lamented, not for the first time that night.

"Want me to kill him?" Jess asked from her side, startling Rory with her sudden appearance.

Rory recovered, replying. "No, if anything happens to Tristan, we lose out on the grade."

"I can make it look like a painful accident," Jess added, giving her a smirk.

_I love that smirk,_ Rory thought before catching herself. _Stop thinking like that, Gilmore!_

Jess tilted her head to the side, "You alright?"

_Better say something._ "How painful are we talking about?" Rory asked, unable to keep herself from smiling at the other girl. _Uh, that sounded like I was flirting._

"Very," Jess promised, her smirk returning to her face.

"Care to elaborate on that?" Rory asked, grinning. _Okay, this is definitely me flirting. With Jess. Who's a girl. In public._ Despite these thoughts, she really didn't feel like stopping, even if her rational side was screaming at her to do so. Rory chose to ignore her rational side, even if it was just this once.

"Nah, it would ruin the surprise," Jess answered, who was obviously flirting back.

"Come on," Rory urged, not believing how blatent they were being. _I wonder if anybody is watching us?_

"Nope," Jess shook her head. "Not gonna tell you."

"At least give me a hint?" Rory pleaded, resorting to her secret weapon, the famed Gilmore pout. "Please?"

"Hey, that's cheating," Jess whispered.

"I'll stop when you give me a hint," Rory promised, blue eyes sparkling.

"Fine," Jess relented, before smirking. "I can't really tell you the details without making you an accessory, but let's just say it involves a rake and a jar of mayonnaise."

Rory chuckled at that, one that Jess shared with her. Even if Rory had no idea what Jess was talking about, the slight brunette had managed to bring her spirits up.

_This is nice,_ Rory thought, feeling light all of a sudden.

"Gilmore!" Paris shouted, bringing her back down to earth. While part of Rory was grateful that Paris had broken up their moment, another was swearing furiously at the blonde for interupting them. "Your part of the scene is coming up and I will not have your coasting bring us down!"

"Whose the psycho?" Jess asked.

"Paris," Rory answered before stepping forward. "I'll see you later, okay, Jess?"

"Yeah, sure," Jess replied, then stepped back as Paris walked over.

"Who are you?" Paris asked, pointing at Jess.

Jess smirked, "What's it matter to you?"

"I want to know since you seem to be disrupting our rehearsal," Paris snapped.

"Aren't we a tad over-dramatic?" Jess taunted.

"Jess," Rory whispered, half warning and half plea.

"Just answer the question," Paris demanded.

"I'm Jess," Jess replied, amused by the shorter girl's intensity.

"Well, Jess," Paris sneered, placing her hands on her hips. "I'd appreciate it if you left. As a matter of fact," Paris turned to Rory. "I'd appreciate it if both of your friends left, Gilmore."

"They're not that disruptive," Rory defended, then glared at a still smirking Tristan. "Unlike some people."

"Well, Tristan goes to Chilton and has a reason to be here," Paris countered, immediately knowing who Rory was referring to. "While these two are just standing around being distracting. Get them to leave."

"I'd leave," Jess supplied. "But I don't have anywhere else to go."

"Oh, boo hoo-" Paris began.

"Where's Lane?" Rory asked, interupting Paris before she could begin ranting.

"At home, talking to Henry," Jess replied, then dramatically sighed. "On my cell-phone. Now Luke can't get a hold of me if he needs help with closing the diner." Then perked up in sudden realization. "Wait, that might a good thing."

"Will you just leave already?" Paris growled.

"Rory?" Jess asked, quirking an eyebrow at her. She seemed to be seeking confirmation.

"You better go," Rory nodded. "We've still got alot of work to do."

"Okie dokie," Jess returned.

"And take Dean with you," Paris commanded, once again making her presence known.

"Do your own dirty work," Jess scoffed, making her way past the intense blonde. "Nice meeting you, Paris."

Paris just scowled at her.

"Bye, Jess," Rory gave her a little wave.

"See you, Ror," Jess waved over her shoulder, heading to the door. She watched as Jess stopped in front of Dean, who was still glaring at Tristan, and hiked her thumb at Rory when she finally got his attention. Then Jess left without a backwards glance.

"Your friend Jess is an insufferable-" Paris started.

"Hold that thought," Rory cut her off before walking over to Dean, who met her halfway.

"Rory," Dean started, sounding as if he was about to go off the deep end.

"I need you to leave," Rory stated, then remembered to add. "Please?"

"What?" Dean asked, incredulous.

"We have alot to do and you being here is just giving Tristan an excuse to goof off," Rory explained, hoping that Dean would understand. "So I need you to leave, okay?"

Dean took a deep breath before continuing the conversation. "Fine," Dean sighed, gritting his teeth.

"Thank you."

"I'll see you later," Dean said, then leaned in for a kiss.

Rory hesitated for a split second, but quickly leaned forward as well. From his expression when they parted, Dean didn't seem to have noticed her studder-step. She just hoped everybody else was as oblivious. Especially that ass named Tristan, who would no doubt try to twist it into something it wasn't.

_I can't believe I kissed that idiot,_ Rory lamented for the umpteenth time that night.

(GG)

"I knew this would happen," Paris muttered to herself, pulling the Romeo costume on. She was alone in the nearest washroom to the hall where the scenes were being performed, changing her clothing as quickly as possible. "But did anybody listen to me? No, they didn't. Just because Tristan is hot, then he has to be Romeo. Now I'm stuck doing the work he's supposed to do, all because he-"

"Who the hell are you talking to?"

Paris glanced up at the source of the question, finding it to be that annoying girl from Stars Hollow. _What was her name again?_ Paris wondered for a quick moment, remembering almost as soon as she questioned herself. Paris squinted at the girl. "What are you doing here, Jess?"

"I was gonna use the toilet," Jess smirked, pointing to a stall.

"No, I mean," Paris clarified, aggitated. "What are you doing here in Chilton?"

"Henry invited me," Jess answered, quickly ammending. "I mean, he invited Lane, who in turn dragged me along. So here I am."

"Huh," Paris grunted, returning to the task at hand.

Apparently sensing that their conversation was ended, Jess walked past her and entered the nearest stall.

"So how did you and Rory meet?" Paris asked, tucking her long blonde hair under the cropped wig.

"What do you care?" Jess asked back, her voice echoing from inside the stall.

"I don't, actually," Paris admitted, inspecting her handiwork to make sure none of her blonde locks had escaped.

"Then why did you ask?"

"Just curious," Paris said, making last second adjustments to her costume. Paris heard the stall door open, then looked at Jess as the other girl strolled over to the sink next to her. The svelte brunette smirked at Paris, making her a little uneasy. "What?"

"I take it that Tristan bailed," Jess stated knowingly, washing her hands.

"You're a quick one," Paris replied wryly.

"I'm a regular Barry Allen," Jess quipped.

"Whoever that is," Paris shrugged, then gave herself one last look over in the mirror. Turning back to Jess, she asked. "How do I look?"

"Like a fourteen year old boy from the Elizabethan era," Jess deadpanned.

"Just what I was going for," Paris nodded, satisfied with the other girl's answer. She turned again and walked out into the hall, hearing Jess follow almost immediately after her. They both walked towards the hall where the assignments were being done, the two girls keeping oddly in step. When they turned the corner, Paris noticed that Jess had stopped dead in her tracks. Following the other girl's gaze, Paris watched as Tristan was speaking with Rory.

"I'd like to kiss you good-bye," Tristan was saying. "But your boyfriend's watching."

Paris couldn't see Rory's reaction to that statement since her back was to them, but she definitely noticed the reaction of the girl beside her.

_If looks could kill,_ Paris thought, taken aback by the glare Jess was sending toward Tristan.

"Take care of yourself, Mary," Tristan said with one final smirk, turning to leave with his waiting father down the hall.

_Good riddence._ Paris thought, then looked back at Jess again when she heard something akin to a growl escape her. _If I didn't know any better, I'd say that Jess is jealous. _Paris shrugged. _Whatever, it's none of my business._

"What are you standing there for?" Paris snapped, making both Rory and Jess jump. "Let's go."

"Good luck," Jess said from behind them.

"Thanks," Rory replied, surprised that Jess was there.

"Yeah, thanks," Paris quickly waved back, then pointed at Rory. "And you better start sucking on an Altoid." She heard Jess chuckle at that as the other two girls made their way to the staging area. Paris took a quick glance back at Jess, still wondering if she really saw what she thought she saw from Jess a moment ago.

_Nay,_ Paris decided, dismissing the idea. _Just my imagination._

**End scene.**

**I dislike the simplicity of the chapter's title, so I changed it. It used to be 'Jess Meets Paris'. I know the new title isn't much better than the first one, but I just wanted a change. If you can think of a better one, please tell me and I'll consider it.**

**Anyhow, as always, please review when you're finished reading and we'll see you later.**

**References :**

_**'...a rake and a jar of mayonnaise.'**_** - Part of a fabulous line delivered by Claudia Christian's character in the movie, Hexed.**

**Barry Allen - The alter-ego of the comic book superhero, the Flash.**


	11. Rambunctious Girl

11 - Rambunctious Girl

Jess was halfway down the front steps of Stars Hollow High when she felt a shove at her back, sending her flying dangerously forward. Fortunately, Jess jumped the last few steps and caught her balance, spinning on her toe to face whoever it was that was responsible.

"What gives, Williams?" Jess demanded. "You looking for a beatdown?"

"I know it was you," Shane accused, her face an angry mask. "I know it was you and Kim who set me up!"

"What are you talking about?" Jess asked, playing innocent.

"The chalk outline," Shane shouted, pushing Jess backwards. "I know it was you!"

"Took you whole month and a half to figure that out?" Jess smirked. "You really are pretty stupid. No wonder why Sarah's the leader of your little clique." Jess laughed, mocking. "Oh, wait. That's right. You guys aren't allowed to hang out together anymore, are you?"

"Laugh it up, Mariano," Shane sneered, moving forward to push Jess again. "Because I'm about to wipe that smirk off your face, you fucking dyke!"

Just as Shane's hands came up to push her, Jess grabbed her by the sleeves of her jacket and performed a quick judo-like throw. Shane fell hard on her back, the air slammed from her lungs as she hit the cold concrete. She tried to rise from her back, only to have Jess kick her onto it again.

"What did you just call me, bitch?" Jess asked, her voice rising. She kicked Shane again as the blonde girl once again attempted to get up. "Huh?" Jess shouted, ignoring the small crowd that was beginning to gather around them. Jess jumped on her opponent, straddling Shane. "I didn't quite catch what you said!" Jess began punching, with Shane just covering her face in defense.

"I'm sorry," Shane cried, her breath catching as blow after blow rained down on her. "I'm sorry!"

"Okay, that's enough," A familiar male voice said, grabbing Jess off of Shane.

"Let me go!" Jess screeched, blindly throwing an elbow at the interloper.

"Whoa, Jess," Dean said as the elbow narrowly missed him, his hands held up in surrender. "It's just me."

Jess ignored him, and threw a quick punch that caught him in the chest. Dean let out a yelp of surprise, obviously not expecting the shot. It wasn't nearly hard enough to hurt him, but Jess just wanted him to know that she didn't appreciate his interference. She turned to continue her beatdown of Shane, only to find the other girl already up and running in the opposite direction.

"Fuck," Jess growled.

"Why the hell did you hit me?" Dean asked, sounding annoyed.

Jess spun on her heel, snow crunching underneath as she did so. She glared at the tall boy standing some five feet away. "Who the hell do you think you are, getting involved like that?" She snarled, stepping in front of him. "This wasn't any of your business!"

"The fight was over," Dean replied, not backing down. "You already had her beat!"

"Next time, stay the fuck out of it, Beanstalk," Jess warned, pointing up at him. "Or it'll be you I take out."

"You're insane," Dean stated as Jess collected her book bag from the concrete.

"Go fuck yourself, Bag Boy!" Jess snapped before turning toward the diner.

(GG)

Luke hung up the phone, anger and disbelief on clear display as he slumped back against the wooden back of his kitchen chair.

_How am I going to tell Jess that her mother doesn't want her back for Christmas?_ Luke asked himself._ Damn it, Liz! Why do I always have to clean up your messes?_

The front door opened and Jess stomped inside, throwing her book bag onto her bed before heading into the washroom. _Oh, goody, she seems to be in a good mood._ Luke thought, rolling his eyes._ This should totally make her day._ Luke sighed, wondering on how his niece was going to take the news that Liz had asked Luke to keep her over the holidays.

"Uncle Luke?" Jess asked, re-entering the kitchen several moments later.

He glanced up, and Luke just couldn't bring himself to hurt her. "How would you like to stay with me over the holidays?"

"Uh, sure," Jess replied.

"Okay," Luke nodded, feeling a little proud of his sudden idea. "I'll call Liz and inform her."

"You do that," Jess said, walking towards the door.

"Where you going?" Luke asked, making a show of reaching for the phone.

"I'm heading over to Laney's," Jess answered, her hand on the doorknob.

"Be back by 6:30."

"Why?"

"Because we've got to be at the Independence Inn by 7:00."

"What's going on there?" Jess asked, smirking at him.

Luke frowned at her, fully realizing that Jess was messing with him.

"I packed my bag last night. It's on the other side of my bed," Jess reassured him, then pointed at the receiver in his hand. "You may want to 'hang up and try your call again', Uncle Luke." She said the last part almost exactly like the operator would have done.

"Get going," Luke waved her out.

"See ya at 6:30," Jess waved back, then was out the door and off to her friend's house.

Luke hung up the phone again, then looked up at the ceiling and let out a heavy sigh. _Damn you, Liz. Why do you have to make my life so difficult?_

(GG)

"Lane," Mrs. Kim called from downstairs. "Jessica is here to see you!"

"Just send her up, Mama!" Lane shouted back.

"Are you done packing yet?" Mrs. Kim asked.

"Doing it now, Mama!" Lane answered back, her overnight bag resting on her bed. It was surrounded by several items of clothing, many of which were close to not being on Mama Kim's approval list.

"You know," Jess said, entering the bedroom and placing her jacket on Lane's desk chair. "Your mother is one of the few people I let get away with calling me Jessica."

"She knows," Lane laughed.

"Okay then," Jess nodded, then pointed to the assorted clothes. "What's all this?"

"I'm picking my outfit for tomorrow," Lane explained, then picked up a shirt and tossed it in a pile near the headboard.

"Is that the 'no' pile?" Jess asked, pointing to where Lane had just thrown the shirt.

"That's the 'no' pile," Lane confirmed.

"Nothing sparkily, I take it?" Jess asked, picking up another shirt that Lane had thrown into the pile earlier.

"Obviously," Lane snorted.

"Can I borrow this then?" Jess asked, holding it up against her chest.

"Go ahead," Lane waved dismissively. "It's too small for me anyway."

"Looks just the right size for me," Jess stated, then proceded to put the shirt on over the long sleeve shirt she was wearing. "How do I look?"

"Looks good," Lane replied distractedly, not really paying attention.

"Well, that sounded sincere," Jess scoffed.

"You're crabby," Lane noted, looking up at her friend. "What happened?"

"I just got in a fight after school," Jess said, non-chalant. "Nothing big."

"Fight as in how?" Lane asked, concerned. "Was it a verbal thing? Or did you go all Jackie Chan on somebody."

"Shane picked a fight with me after school," Jess replied, grabbing a navy blue sweater and holding it up. "This looks good."

"Yeah, now to find something that goes with it," Lane gestured for Jess to put it down. "In the mean time, answer the question."

Jess described what had happened after they had gone their seperate ways just a half an hour earlier, making Lane wish she'd been there to see the fight. "So you won?"

"Yeah, I won," Jess muttered.

"If you kicked her ass, why are you so down?" Lane asked, confused.

Jess sighed, "Because there was never any doubt that I'd win. It's just..."

"What?"

"After she called me a dyke, I completely lost it, Laney," Jess plopped onto the bed. "I really could've hurt her. If Dean hadn't- oh, shit!"

"Shh," Lane warned, hoping Mama Kim hadn't heard her friend curse. "Keep it down."

"Oh, God," Jess stood up and began to pace. "Rory's never going to speak to me again!"

"What are you talking about?" Lane asked, watching her friend pace. "Why won't she speak to you?"

"Because of what I said to Dean," Jess continued pacing, waving her arms in the air. "I completely went off on him!"

"What exactly did you say?" Lane asked, to which Jess came over and whispered in her ear. Lane's eyes widened at the obcenities that Jess had uttered, dismayed at her friend's choice of words. "Wow."

"Yeah," Jess agreed in a disheartened tone, plopping onto the bed once more. "I know."

(GG)

"Hey," Dean greeted his girlfriend, stepping down to meet her from the front door.

"Hello, there," Rory smiled back, kissing him when he reached her. Rory then turned her attention to his little sister, who was wearing a grimace at having to witness their kiss. "Hey, Clara. Nice dress. Is it a Stella McCartney?"

"It's a Wal-Mart," Clara replied, recovering from her childish disgust at their display.

"Well, it's very pretty," Rory smiled.

"My mom bought it for tonight," Clara explained.

"She has good taste."

While Rory and Clara were speaking, Dean scanned the lobby in boredom then groaned when he noticed the newest arrivals. "I didn't know she was coming," he complained, turning his back to Jess and her uncle as Lorelai greeted them.

"Who?" Rory asked, glancing behind him.

"Jess," Dean hiked his thumb over his shoulder.

"Yeah. Is that a problem?"

"Not really," Dean lied, remembering what had happened earlier that afternoon.

"Dean," Rory frowned, seeing right through him.

"It's just that she got in this fight with Shane after school," Dean explained, feeling a little embarrassed that he was ratting out Jess to his girlfriend. "And when I broke it up, she started in on me."

"She hit you?" Rory asked, shocked.

"Yeah, amongst other things," Dean nodded. "But I was more surprised than hurt."

"Amongst other things?"

"Nevermind," Dean said, deciding to leave out Jess cursing him out. "That stuff isn't important."

"Okay then," Rory shrugged.

"Now that I think about it, she might have pulled her punch," Dean added.

"Why would she do that?"

"Don't ask me to explain that crazy b-"

"Dean," Rory slapped his arm to stop him from finishing his sentence, then subtly gestured at Clara. "Language."

Dean rubbed his arm in surprise, turning around when he heard a chuckle. Jess smirked, then gave him a taunting wave.

"She'd better not do that all night," Dean griped. _Crazy bitch._

(GG)

"That it, miss?" The sleigh driver asked, looking back at Rory.

"Guess I'm alone," Rory smiled up at him, arranging the blanket on her lap. The sleigh had gone about ten feet when Jess jumped in, taking the seat next to her. "What are you doing?" Rory asked, startled by the other girl's sudden appearance.

"Isn't it two to a sleigh?" Jess asked back, making herself comfortable. "I'm pretty sure your mom said it was two to a sleigh."

"You could've hurt yourself," Rory chided, gesturing at the other girl's long jacket. "What if the end of your coat got caught? You would've been dragged under!"

Jess shrugged, "Que Sera Sera."

Rory rolled her eyes at Jess' cavalier attitude, crossing her arms over her stomach.

"You're pissed at me, aren't you?" Jess asked, pulling her gloves on.

"You punched Dean," Rory narrowed her eyes at Jess.

Jess winced, "Oh, right. I'd forgotten about that."

"Liar," Rory accused.

"Guilty as charged," Jess threw her hands up. "But he really shouldn't have stuck his nose in my business."

"Why were you fighting Shane anyway?"

"Because she's a stupid bitch," Jess explained simply.

"Yeah, she is," Rory agreed, deciding to drop the subject.

The two girls sat in silence for a solid minute before Rory decided to ask. "Are you heading back to New York to visit your mom over the holidays?"

"No," Jess said, her voice hollow.

"Why not?"

"Because she doesn't want me to," Jess answered, her tone turning bitter.

"I don't believe that," Rory replied. _What kind of mother doesn't want to spend Christmas with her kid?_

"Not everybody has a cool mom like you, Rory," Jess said, as if reading her mind.

_How does she do that?_ Rory wondered before asking. "Did Luke say she didn't want you to?"

Jess sighed, "Luke tried to present it like it was his idea that I should stay with him over the holidays." She turned her face to look Rory in the eye. "It wasn't his idea."

"At least he tries, right?" Rory asked, trying to bring the other girl's spirits up.

"Could we just drop this, Ror?" Jess pleaded.

"Consider it dropped," Rory sighed, leaving them once again in awkward silence.

"That's pretty good," Jess said suddenly, pointing at the assembled snowmen in the square.

"What?" Rory asked, looking up.

"Your snowman," Jess pointed it out, then corrected herself. "I'm sorry, I mean snowwoman."

"You know which one is ours?" Rory asked excitedly, glancing over at Jess.

Jess nodded, "Yeah, the one that looks like Bjork, right?"

"That's exactly what we were going for," Rory grinned, then faltered. "But everybody thinks that the one on the end will be the winner."

"Really?" Jess said in disbelief. "It's so overdone."

"I agree."

"You should win," Jess smiled at her, making Rory feel a little twinge in her chest.

"No argument here," Rory smiled back, enjoying the sudden warm feelings that were stirring up inside her.

Jess stopped smiling, quickly looking away from her.

"What?" Rory asked.

"Nothing," Jess answered, though Rory could tell she was lying.

"What's wrong?" Rory pressed.

"I'm kind of tired of these mixed signals you're sending me, Ror," Jess whispered, staring at her gloved hands.

Rory felt guilty, because she couldn't deny the quiet accusation. "I don't mean to do it."

"It's alright," Jess replied, glancing at her. "Let's just forget I said anything about it, okay?"

"Okay," Rory nodded, her eyes drifting across the square. _Damn it._

(GG)

Despite her earlier apprehension at Rory's invitation, Paris found herself having a good time. The entire premise of the dinner was rather silly to her, but Paris was amused by the antics and exchanges of the others seated at the table. Not to mention the various anachronisms that she had observed.

"What's the white stuff?" Jess asked the rugged looking man beside her with concern, their conversation catching her attention.

"I think it's cheese," he answered, then inspected it closer. "Or cream."

"And the green stuff?"

"I think..." the rugged man began, picking the green, leafy thing up between his thumb and index finger. "It's best picked off."

Paris smirked at the two across from her, then turned her attention over to Rory and her mother talking to one of the servers. She couldn't quite make out what their subject was, but it looked as though Lorelai was harrassing the skinny guy serving the soup.

_Another anachronism,_ Paris smiled, noting the Fossil watch on the server's wrist.

She turned again, then noticed Jess grinning at her.

"What?" Paris asked, then noticed that Jess was holding up one of the leafy things from before.

"Don't even think about," the rugged man warned, catching Jess in the act of winding up for a throw.

"You're such a buzzkill, Uncle Luke," the brunette pouted, dropping the leafy thing back onto the table, crossing her arms over her chest. She was acting the same age as the little girl sitting beside Dean, who Paris guessed was his younger sister. Jess smirked at her, then gave Paris a wink.

_Weird girl,_ Paris thought before continuing her soup.

(GG)

Lorelai stumbled into the darkened lobby on her way to the kitchen, more or less half asleep. She stopped suddenly, snapping to attention at the sound of the door opening, followed by the rustling of boot soles against cloth. Her heart began beating rapidly, curiousity and fear fighting for control. _Fight or flight, fight or flight._

"Who's there?" Lorelai called out, her curiousity winning out.

"It's just me," a girl's voice came back.

"Jess?" Lorelai asked, then squinted when the lights were turned on. "What are you doing up?"

"Couldn't sleep," Jess replied, continuing to wipe her feet on the mat. "So I went for a walk."

Lorelai nodded, then yawned. She turned towards the kitchen, gesturing for Jess to follow. "Come on, kid. I was just going to grab a snack or something."

"Sure," Jess replied, her barely audible footfalls telling Lorelai that she was following. She had apparently given up on trying to get her boots dry, choosing to take them off instead.

"Sit," Lorelai commanded when they entered the kitchen, pointing to a stool near the counter. "I'll grab us a piece of pie each. What do you want to drink?"

"Beer," Jess answered, sounding rather hopeful.

"Nice try," Lorelai snorted.

"Apple juice, then," Jess chuckled, placing her boots on the floor near the foot of her stool.

"That I can do," Lorelai replied and went over to where the plate and glasses were stored. After she poured the drinks and got them the pie, Lorelai sat down beside Jess and sunk her fork into her pie. Jess did the same.

"So how are things going with you and Luke?" Lorelai asked after about a minute.

"Good."

"That's good," Lorelai nodded, feeling disappointed that the conversation had stalled. Lorelai remembered her conversation with Luke during their sleigh ride, on how Liz had asked him to keep Jess over the holidays. She could still see the anger in his eyes from when he told her that. To tell the truth, Lorelai was a little pissed at Liz as well, even though she had yet to met the woman. Lorelai let out a frustrated sigh.

"If you're trying to think of a way to ask me how I'm feeling," Jess said, meeting her gaze. "Please stop."

"You shouldn't keep it bottled up," Lorelai advised.

"I don't feel like sharing," Jess replied stubbornly before shoving another forkful of pie into her mouth.

"Why not?"

Jess sighed, then glanced at her with those intense chocolate eyes. "You really want to know why I don't feel like sharing?"

"Sure," Lorelai replied, scarfing down the last bit of her pie. _Finally, some progress!_

"I don't feel comfortable sharing my feelings with somebody who is so obviously in denial about her own," Jess replied, then rose from her seat to take her now empty plate to the sink. Lorelai didn't even see Jess finish her piece of pie, she was so shocked by what the girl had said.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Lorelai asked, following her to the sink.

"Nothing," Jess replied, attempting to brush her way past Lorelai. "Forget I said anything."

"No," Lorelai shook her head, cutting her off. "That was definitely a pointed comment. Now explain yourself."

Jess sighed again, "It means exactly what you think it means, Miss Gilmore."

"What are you talking about?" Lorelai asked, confused. _When did this become about me?_

"Come on," Jess said frustrated, rolling her eyes.

"No, really," Lorelai asked, getting flustered. "What?"

"I'm talking about you and Luke," Jess elaborated, looking at Lorelai like she was a dim-witted child.

Lorelai was beginning to feel like one. "What about me and Luke?"

Jess groaned, "Oh my God, now I see where Rory gets it from!"

"Hello, Queen of the Random Segue, but I'm still not following here. What does my daughter have to do with me or Luke?" Lorelai asked, then frowned before ammending. "Okay, I know what she has to do with me, but what does-"

"Nevermind what I said about Rory," Jess interupted. "She's not the issue at hand here."

Lorelai sighed, "Then what is the issue at hand, Jess?"

"It's so obvious," Jess continued, frustration evident in her voice. "He likes you! And if I'm not mistaken, you like him!"

Now Lorelai was getting really confused. "Him who?"

"Luke!" Jess snapped, a little louder than Lorelai would've liked.

_Not you too, kid,_ Lorelai groaned, her eyes hitting the ceiling.

"And I don't see why one of you guys can't just get over yourselves and ask the other out on a date already," Jess huffed.

"You're being ridiculous," Lorelai scoffed, her protest sounding weak even to herself. "Luke doesn't think of me that way."

"Alright, I give up," Jess threw her hands in the air. "You guys want to keep bumping around clumsily in the dark, then who am I to show one of you where the light switch is?"

_Just when I was starting to like you, kid._ Lorelai thought, her eyes narrowing. "Nice metaphor, kid," Lorelai said, finding her voice again. "It's too bad you don't have a leg to stand on."

This seemed to give the girl a new head of steam though, pointing her finger at Lorelai. "Fine, but answer me this then," Jess smirked smugly. "Why do you think Luke got so pissed when he found out about your date with that kid from your business class?"

"He wasn't that much younger than me!"

"Quit skirting the subject and answer the question already, Miss Gilmore," Jess pressed, taking a step forward.

"What happened to giving up?" Lorelai asked meekly, taking a step back. Lorelai suddenly felt like she was just being bullied out of her lunch money._ What the hell is going on here?_

"I got a second wind," Jess said, taking another step forward to stand directly in front of a very nervous Lorelai. "Now...answer...the...question."

"What iz going on in here?" Michel asked from the doorway, startling both Lorelai and Jess enough to make them jump. "I can hear ze both of you from ze lobby."

"Nothing of importance, Michel," Lorelai replied, sneaking past Jess. "Just a minor disagreement."

"At three o'clock in ze morning?" Michel asked in disbelief.

"We aren't finished with this subject, Miss Gilmore," Jess promised, grabbing her shoes off the floor and heading out of the kitchen.

"Good night, Jess," Lorelai muttered. _Thank you, Michel!_

"Good night, Lorelai," Jess waved over her shoulder. "Good night, french putz whose name I don't care to remember."

Michel let out a little growl, which made Lorelai chuckle despite the turmoil she was feeling. The concierge glared at Lorelai, then stomped out back the way he'd entered.

"Infuriating little girl," he muttered under his breath.

"You don't know the half of it, Michel," Lorelai sighed, her eyes going to the ceiling again.

**End scene.**

**Reviews are appreciated, thanks!**

**References :**

**Jackie Chan - Hong Kong action superstar, reknowned for doing his own stunts (often injuring himself in the process).**

**Bjork - A very talented musician with an eccentric fashion sense, she is a native of Iceland.**


	12. Various Forms of Dancing

12 - Various Forms of Dancing

"I still can't believe you joined the pep squad," Jess snorted, shaking her head at Lane's outfit.

"You know, Jess," Lane grinned, playfully defensive. "Maybe you should try doing something constructive with your free time as well."

"Quit trying to recruit me, Laney," Jess teased, taking a step back.

"So we'll see you tomorrow, Lane?" Janie Fertman asked, coming to stand beside them just off to the side of the front steps.

"Yeah, Janie. I'll be there," Lane confirmed.

"Okay, see you then, Lane," Janie waved, then politely smiled at Jess. "Bye, Jess."

"See you, Janie," Jess replied, then turned to Lane. "I don't think Fertman likes me very much."

Lane asked, "Does it really matter to you?"

"Not really," Jess shrugged it off. "Anyway, want to come over and watch Buffy tonight?"

"It's not Tuesday."

"I taped it."

"Wish that I could, but I can't."

"Why not?"

"Mama's holding an emergency Bible session and my attendence is required," Lane explained, letting out a dramatic sigh.

Jess laughed, "Poor Laney."

Lane joined in, then stopped suddenly when she caught sight of a shocked looking Rory, who was sitting on the steps some ten to fifteen feet away.

"What's up?" Jess asked, following her gaze and cheerfully greeted Rory. "Hey, Rory!"

"Uh, hi," Rory awkwardly returned, shoving the book she'd been reading into her bag. She was still dressed in her Chilton uniform, Lane noticed. _She must be here to see Dean._

"If it makes you feel any better," Dean showed up just then, holding a flattened backetball in his hand. "A car ran over it."

"I need to get coffee," Rory replied, getting up from her seat on the steps. "Now."

Dean gave her a strange look, then glanced over at Lane and Jess. "Hey," he waved before following after his retreating girlfriend.

"Okay, that was weird," Jess commented, returning her attention to Lane.

Lane sighed, "I'd explain, but you wouldn't understand."

"I'll take your word for it," Jess nodded.

"It's the cheerleading thing," Lane elaborated a moment later.

"I take it by her reaction that Rory didn't know about your new adventures in peppiness?" Jess deduced.

"No," Lane shook her head.

Jess grimaced slightly, "Awkward."

"Awkward," Lane agreed.

(GG)

Rory had just said bye to Dean when she caught sight of Lane, who was standing across the street in her cheerleading uniform. Her eyes met Lane's and both of them knew what was next, the two girls silently agreeing to meet up for the coming conversation.

_Might as well get this over with,_ Rory frowned, stalking toward her best friend with determination.

"We need to talk," Lane stated, looking ready for a fight. She had that look of determination that Rory recognized as her fight face.

"Okay, let's talk," Rory replied, placing her school bag on the bench beside her. Lane followed suit by placing her pompoms and backpack next to Rory's things. "Nice outfit," Rory snarked.

"Thank you," Lane replied, dripping with sarcasm.

"I guess this is why you've been AWOL for the past couple of weeks," Rory surmissed, looking her friend up and down with just a little distain.

"Pretty much," Lane nodded.

"So what? You just had this urge to stand on top of another girl's shoulders?" Rory asked in a slightly mocking manner.

"Don't be like that," Lane said, sounding a little hurt.

"Like what?"

"Like you're being," Lane sighed, gesturing in frustration. "It makes it impossible to tell you."

"But you didn't tell me," Rory huffed.

"I know."

"Why?"

"Because," Lane lamely answered.

"Okay," Rory said, rolling her eyes before continuing. "Have you ever considered becoming a prosecuter? Because I think you've got real potenial."

"I didn't tell you because I knew you'd react like this," Lane narrowed her eyes.

"No, I'm acting like this because you didn't tell me," Rory explained, realizing she was being a tad condescending.

"Oh, so if I'd come up and I said to you, 'Rory, I want to become a cheerleader'," Lane smiled, giving as good as she got. "You would have said..." Lane left the statement hanging, waiting for Rory to finish it.

"Why?" Rory asked, her tone confused.

"Exactly," Lane pointed up at her.

"Exactly what, Lane?" Rory asked, exasperated. "This is just so weird. We used make fun of cheerleaders. Don't you remember how we'd rag on Janie Fertman, then hide during pep rallies? And now you're suddenly...peppy."

"I'm not peppy," Lane defended.

"You look peppy," Rory countered.

"Look, you're not around much anymore," Lane tried to explain in a pleading tone.

"So this is my fault?" Rory cut in.

Lane ignored her, continuing. "And you have Dean."

"This is his fault?" Rory asked, getting very annoyed on how Lane was trying to pin this weirdness on her and her boyfriend.

"I don't know why. I just wanted to do it, to try it," Lane continued, building up steam. Rory could tell she was reaching her boiling point, ready to blow her stack. "And I don't feel like I should have to justify or explain it to you-"

"Then don't," Rory said, just wanting this ugliness to be over.

"Fine," Lane replied, her frustartion clearly evident on her face. "I won't."

"Okay," Rory said back, her voice raising slightly.

"Alright," Lane nodded, her volume rising to match Rory's. She turned and grabbed her things, then began to stomp away before spinning on her heel back toward Rory and the bench. "I forgot my pom."

"Your what?" Rory asked in confusion.

"My pom," Lane snapped, shaking the colorful tassles at Rory. "Two are pompoms. One's a pom."

"I bet you told Jess as soon as you joined," Rory huffed just as Lane was about to walk away again, not knowing what came over her.

"And what's that supposed to mean?" Lane asked, rejoining her in front of the bench. The argument had picked up once again.

"It just means that you and her seem to be inseperable as of late," Rory snarked, deciding to go all in.

"Jess has nothing to do with my not telling you," Lane snapped back, scowling. "And personally, I resent you even suggesting that."

"I wouldn't get too close to her if I were you, Lane," Rory warned.

"And why's that?" Lane smirked, snorting.

Rory yelled, "Because she may get the wrong idea!"

"Oh my God," Lane yelled back. "Just because you guys had a thing before, does not mean that we have one now!"

"She told you about that?" Rory balked, completely shocked.

"Yeah, she did," Lane replied, lowering her voice. "And even if I swung that way, I still wouldn't stand a chance. And you want to know why?"

"Why?" Rory asked, though she suspected the answer.

"Because's she's still hung up on you," Lane stated, then turned her back to Rory.

Rory watched her friend stalk away, feeling completely stupified by Lane's parting shot.

(GG)

"That was so cool," Lorelai commented, grinning as the pep rally came to an end.

"I'm going to talk to Lane," Rory stated, turning to her mother. "We good?"

"We made up over coffee, remember?" Lorelai smiled, holding her styrofoam cup in the air. "So, yeah. We're good, babe."

Lorelai watched her daughter walk up to her best friend, hoping that Rory could bridge the gap that had formed. Lorelai knew that Rory and Lane had been at odds as of late, though she didn't quite know the exact reasons as to why. She knew how things could get between friends though, how they could sometimes drift apart despite their best efforts to the contrary.

"Hey, Miss Gilmore," Jess greeted, startling her.

"Hello, Jess," Lorelai replied, a little nervous. Beyond the every other casual greeting at the dinner, this was the first time since the Bracebridge Dinner that Lorelai had spoken with the lithe brunette. It wasn't as if Lorelai was avoiding her friend's niece, she just hadn't really had anything substantial to say to Jess in that time. _Yeah, right. Keep telling yourself that, Lorelai._

"I heard you guys had termites," Jess stated, hands shoved in her jacket pockets. "That's gotta suck it hardcore."

"Um, yeah," Lorelai replied, a little confused. "It sucked it hardcore."

"Oh, you had it fixed?" Jess asked, though Lorelai couldn't tell if the girl was being sincere with her questioning.

"What are you doing?" Lorelai asked back, deciding to get to the heart of the matter.

"Making small talk?" Jess replied awkwardly, giving her a lop-sided grin.

"Well, you suck at it," Lorelai smirked.

Jess shrugged, "Oh, well. I tried."

"It's the thought that counts," Lorelai agreed.

They shared a nervous laugh, which trailed off when their eyes met.

"Look, Lorelai," Jess said, rubbing the back of her neck. _She really does spend too much time with Luke,_ Lorelai noted as the girl struggled with her words. "About the Bracebridge thing-"

"Forget it," Lorelai shook her head, really not wanting to talk about it.

"Okay," Jess sighed, leaving them in silence. The only sounds came from the few other people wandering around the square, their voices muffled by distance and movement.

Lorelai sighed, "Jess, I'm sor-"

"Do you remember what you told me to do that first night I came to Stars Hollow?" Jess suddenly asked, cutting her off.

"No, I don't," Lorelai shook her head again. "Sorry."

"How you told me that if I gave Luke half a chance, that I might be surprised how good things could get for me?" Jess clarified, her tone deadly serious.

Lorelai knew where the girl was going, but could only bring herself to nod.

"You were right," Jess stated, giving her a genuine smile. Not her usual sarcastic smirk or mischevious grin, but an actual smile. _It really suits her._ "Luke really is a great guy. He's very special, just like you said."

"Jess," Lorelai began, only to have Jess ignore her.

"And you're incredibly lucky to have him in your life," Jess continued, her tone still completely sincere. "If you give my uncle half a chance, then maybe, just maybe you might be the one surprised by how good things could get."

Lorelai swallowed, unable to find her voice.

"I'll see you around, Miss Gilmore," Jess said, turning away to leave.

"Jess," Lorelai called out.

Jess stopped dead in her tracks, "Yeah?"

"I'll think about it," Lorelai promised.

"That a girl," Jess replied before continuing on her way to wherever she was going.

"What'll you think about?" Rory asked, sneaking up on Lorelai.

"Jeez, Rory," Lorelai gasped in surprise. "Make a noise."

"You're such a drama queen," Rory mocked.

"Hey, pot. Meet kettle," Lorelai pointed between them, then asked. "Everything good with Lane?"

"Mostly, but there are still a few things we have to address," Rory answered. "But we'll leave those for later. Right now, I'm just happy to have my friend talking to me again."

"So what's the plan?" Lorelai asked.

"Lane and I are going to grab some coffee at Luke's," Rory hiked her thumb over her shoulder. "Wanna join us?"

Lorelai was tempted to say yes, but decided that Rory should have some teen time. _Besides, I have a few things to think about, thanks to Jess._ "No, Babe. You guys go ahead. I'm sure you guys have alot of things to talk about. I'm just gonna head home."

"You okay?" Rory asked, concerned. "It's not like you to turn down coffee."

"I'm fine," Lorelai nodded, smiling. "Just remember to bring a cup home for me, okay?"

"Sure thing, Mom," Rory smiled back before turning away to join a waiting Lane.

Lorelai glanced past the walking teens into the diner, watching the far away figure of Luke as he worked away inside. _He really is a special guy,_ Lorelai thought as she turned to go home. _But there are just so many things that could go wrong._

(GG)

Jess had just left Lorelai to her thoughts when she noticed that the door to Miss Patty's dance studio was open. Walking over and glancing inside, she discovered it deserted at the moment. She didn't know the reason why she felt like heading inside, but something just drew Jess towards it.

"Warm," Jess noted in a whispered tone, surprised to find it so. She closed the sliding door behind herself and crossed the hardwood, taking notice of a pair of forgotten ballet shoes sitting near the podium. Grabbing them in hand, Jess looked the shoes over and smiled. _These seem to be about the right size. I wonder..._

Before she could even think about it, Jess jumped up and sat on the stage. She unlaced her heavy steel-toed boots, letting them fall loudly to the floor. Her socks came off next, being dropped to the floor as casually as her boots had been. She slid the shoes on, finding them a little snug. _Forgot how uncomfortable these things could be._ Despite this thought though, Jess slipped her jacket off, which was followed by her sweater. Standing just in her jeans and a light undershirt, Jess took a deep breath then began the first routine that came to mind. She gracefully moved to a tune in her head, which Jess unknowingly hummed as she danced. Jess continued to dance for an unknown amount of time, just letting everything flow out of her.

When she was done, Jess fell into relaxed pose. Her head down and seated on the floor, Jess cried out when she suddenly heard somebody clapping. "What?" _I didn't even hear the door open._

"That was simply beautiful, my dear," Miss Patty smiled, walking up to her.

Jess got up from the floor, brushing herself off. Embarrassed to have been caught, Jess remained silent and rubbed her neck. She could feel the flush in her cheeks. _Aw, jeez._

"No need to be embarrassed, Jessica," Patty smiled, the rotund woman standing in front of her.

"I've got to get back to the diner," Jess said, heading over to where her things had been discarded. "Help Luke with closing up and all that jazz."

Miss Patty followed her. "Did you take lessons?" Patty asked as Jess removed the ballet shoes.

"Until just before I turned fourteen," Jess answered, placing the ballet shoes neatly beside her on the floor.

"You seem to be very talented, dear," Patty complimented, then asked. "Why did you quit?"

Jess sighed, "Lost interest in it."

"Not from what I could see," Patty remarked.

"The dancing itself isn't the part I lost interest in," Jess replied, pulling her socks on. She slipped her feet into the steel-toed boots, then began tying them up. "I just didn't feel like starving myself anymore. I got tired of the whole watching what I'm eating thing, that whole calorie counting and stuff drove me insane. No teenage girl should have to put herself through that kind of shit, especially for something that's supposed to be fun. It made the whole thing...it just wasn't fun anymore."

"I see," Miss Patty nodded in understanding, knowing where Jess was coming from.

"Don't tell anybody about this, okay?" Jess pleaded, pulling her jacket on.

"You forgot your sweater, dear," the larger woman pointed out.

Jess picked it up, then decided to simply throw it over her shoulder. "Thanks."

"Whenever you want to come in and just dance again," Patty said when Jess was halfway to the door. "Feel free."

Jess smiled. "I'll keep that in mind."

"Good night, Jessica," Patty smiled back.

"Good night, Patricia," Jess waved, then made her exit. She had made it about twenty feet from the studio before she heard Miss Patty call out, the larger woman moving toward her as fast as her girth would let her. "Yes?"

"You forgot these," Miss Patty said, holding out the ballet shoes for her.

"I can't take those," Jess shook her head.

"Nonsense," Patty replied, grabbing Jess by the wrist and shoving them into her grasp. "I insist."

Jess didn't know what to say, so she just whispered. "Thanks."

"Say hello to that delicious uncle of yours for me and we'll call it even," Patty winked before waddling away, making Jess wonder how the woman had managed to grab the shoes and catch up to her so quickly. Jess examined the ballet shoes, holding them up to the light from a nearby lamp post.

_Maybe Stars Hollow isn't such a bad place after all,_ Jess smiled to herself.

**End scene.**

**Thanks for reading and I hope you review when you are finished.**

**Reference :**

**Buffy - Buffy the Vampire Slayer, which aired Tuesday nights on the WB for its third, fourth and fifth seasons. It is also one of the greatest television shows ever made.**


	13. Small Town Charm

13 - Small Town Charm

Jess was reading a book Rory had lent her the day before, when she noticed that someone was standing beside the bench she was currently occupying. The person stood quietly for a solid twenty seconds before Jess had finally had enough.

"You're starting freak me out by just standing there," Jess muttered without looking up from her book. "Sit down or move along, buddy."

"Shouldn't a girl your age be in school right about now?" A man's voice asked her.

"How is that any of your business?" Jess asked back, glancing up at the person in annoyance. It turned out that the person was an older gentleman, who stood at about the same height as Dean the Beanstalk. He was dressed in fine clothing, and had a certain air about him. It was a little intimidating, though Jess wasn't about to admit that openly to this stranger.

_Definitely not a local_, Jess concluded. _He looks familiar though. Where have I seen him before?_

He sat down beside her, making Jess a bit uneasy. Jess quickly glanced around, looking for anything unusual. _Okay, no white van that I can see,_ she thought in relief. _But if he offers me candy, I am so out of here._

"What are you reading, young lady?" He asked, bringing her attention back to him.

Jess held the book up, allowing him to read the title.

His eyebrows raised in surprise. "Dune?"

"It's my first sci-fi," Jess shrugged. "It's pretty good actually. A little full of itself at times, but still pretty good."

He nodded, "To each there own, I suppose."

"I borrowed it from a friend of mine," Jess explained, closing the book. "She apparently has an amazing amount of books, though mostly classic stuff from what I've seen. I was surprised when she just suddenly lent this to me, to tell you the truth. Rory didn't really strike me as a sci-fi buff."

"You know Rory?" The older gentleman asked, intrigued.

"This is Stars Hollow," Jess smirked. "Everybody knows everybody."

"I'm beginning to realize that more and more as I explore," he nodded, then glanced at Jess. "But that doesn't really answer my question, young lady. How do you know my granddaughter?"

"Rory's your granddaughter?" Jess asked back.

"Indeed she is," The man answered, then introduced himself. He held out his hand. "Richard Gilmore."

"Jessica Mariano, sir," she replied, shaking his outstretched hand. Then remembering his question, Jess explained how she and Rory had met. She naturally edited many things out, because the last thing Jess wanted to do was cause any awkwardness between Rory and her family. Jess told him just enough to reveal that they were friends, though that in itself was stretching the truth. _I don't really know what we are,_ Jess thought to herself.

"Are you hungry, Jessica?" Richard asked.

Jess nodded, "A little bit, now that you mention it."

"Well, if you don't have to be back at your school, would you join me for lunch at the inn?" He asked.

"Sure," Jess nodded, suddenly remembering where she had seen him before. _The Bracebridge Dinner._ "I don't have to head back to class until 1:00, so lunch is do-able. Just as long I don't have to pay."

Richard chuckled, "That won't be a problem, Jessica. My daughter Lorelai runs the inn."

Jess grinned, "I think this a start of a beautiful friendship."

He chuckled again, rising from the bench. "Come along now, Jessica. Let us be on our way."

"Lead the way, sir," Jess replied, getting up as well. She shoved the book into her jacket pocket, then followed Richard towards the Independence Inn.

(GG)

Lorelai just finished talking with Michel, coming up with a plan to deal with their sudden towel and linen shortage, when she noticed her father entering the inn. _Oh, great. Just what I need._

"Hi, Dad," Lorelai greeted, making her way around the front desk to meet him. "What are you doing? I thought you were going to tour the town?"

"I did, I did," Richard replied, taking off his coat. "I went into all the stores. The cat one, twice." Lorelai chuckled at that. "And then I walked around a little and then I was done."

"What about the park? Did you see the park?" Lorelai questioned, hoping for him to say no, so she could usher him out to do so.

"Yes, Lorelai, I saw the park," Richard nodded, pulling his scarf from around his neck.

"What about the giant slinky over on Klump?" Lorelai asked, trying to keep the desperation from her voice. "We're mighty proud of that."

"Yes, I saw the slinky," Richard nodded, adjusting his coat and scarf on his arm. He then descended the steps, Lorelai following him. "And the 100-year-old oak tree and the life-size yarn person. I even stopped by your house and had Babbette introduce me to all her gnomes. Then I realized that the only thing I haven't seen yet was where my daughter worked, so after running into an interesting young lady, I decided to come here for lunch."

"Young lady?" Lorelai asked, a little confused.

"Yes, Lorelai," Richard smiled. "A most interesting girl who was reading a book in the park. I found it rather strange that somebody would choose to read outside in this kind of weather, so I approached her to find out why. After an entertaining conversation, I invited her to have lunch with me."

"Does this young lady have a name?" Lorelai smirked. "And more importantly, should Mom be worried?"

Richard shook his head, chiding. "That is a highly inappropriate suggestion, especially considering that the young lady in question is Rory's age."

The door opened, causing both Lorelai and Richard to glance over.

"Sorry about that," Jess smiled, wiping her boots on the mat. "But I had to inform my uncle Luke on where I was." She glanced at Lorelai, waving at her. "Hey, Lorelai."

"Hello, Jess," Lorelai waved back.

"It's quite understandable, Jessica," Richard smiled, then turned to his daughter. "Where is your work jacket, Lorelai?"

"I don't have a work jacket, Dad," Lorelai replied.

"So that's your working outfit?" He asked, his tone still a little bit chiding.

"Yeah."

"And your boss doesn't mind?"

"Considering that my boss is me, no, she doesn't," Lorelai replied, smiling uneasily at her father. She noticed that Jess was trying very hard not to laugh, though her efforts were met with very limited success. Lorelai continued to ramble, feeling like a kid as she tried to explain herself to Richard. "She did at first, but then I bought her a cup of coffee, and I realized all the hostility toward me was just pent up jealousy. And we've been best friends ever since. Go have lunch, Dad."

Richard nodded, "Very well, Lorelai."

"Man, am I hungry," Jess announced, grinning at Lorelai in a mocking fashion.

"Come along, Jessica," Richard said before heading toward the dining room.

"Yeah, Jessica," Lorelai narrowed her eyes at Jess. "Run along now."

"TTFN," Jess waved, following Richard into the dining room.

"Did that infuriating little girl just reference Winnie ze Pooh?" Michel asked when Jess had left.

"Hey, will you get me an extra bottle of champagne and smack me over the head with it?" Lorelai asked, ignoring Michel's question.

Michel smirked, "Absolutely."

"Yeah, thanks," Lorelai nodded, then picked up the phone that had just begun ringing. "Independence Inn."

"I need you to sit down, breathe, and remember that you're at work," Rory's voice came over the phone, her tone apologetic. "So screaming and crying is not an option open to you."

"Why?" Lorelai accused, knowing something was up. "What are you doing?"

"I can't meet you after school today," Rory explained.

"What?" Lorelai whined, distraught. "You promised."

"I know, I'm sorry," Rory apologized. "But I've got to work on a story for the Franklin. I swear I tried to get out of it, but I couldn't."

"Oh, great," Lorelai sighed.

"I'm sorry," Rory apologized again.

"No. School comes before Mommy's mental health."

"Just tell Grandpa to wander around for a while," Rory suggested.

"He already wandered."

"What? Did he see the slinky?"

"Yeah, he saw the slinky. He's here now. He hates my shirt," Lorelai said, then added. "And he's having lunch with Jess as we speak."

"Really?" Rory asked, sounding shocked. "Lunch with Jess?"

"Yes, your grandfather seems very taken with your little friend."

"Shouldn't she be in class?" Rory asked.

"How the hell should I know?" Lorelai asked back, annoyed.

"Okay, sorry, Little Miss Snaps Alot," Rory replied, taken aback. "Anyway, I promise to be home by dinner, so please hold up until then."

"Fine," Lorelai sighed, petulent as a child. "But I'm making a face the entire time."

"Bye, Mom."

"Bye, Rory."

Lorelai glanced over at Michel, who was snickering at her.

"Oh, shut up," Lorelai snorted before walking away from the front desk.

(GG)

"I think I have rabies," Paris griped, following Rory off the bus. "Where can I get a shot around here?"

"You're being dramatic," Rory said, stepping from the curb after the bus had gone by. "It's just a bus."

"It smelled," Paris complained, brushing her clothes off.

"Like a bus," Rory replied, rolling her eyes.

"I'll have to burn my clothes when I get home," Paris stated.

"You realize we could have driven here, seeing as you own a car," Rory stated.

"We have to get the feel of the small-town world, Rory. We won't get the feel of a small town in a BMW," Paris explained, feeling a little tired of having to constantly go over her motivations again and again. For someone who was supposedly her intellectual equal, Gilmore sure acted a little dim-witted at times. It suddenly felt like something moved on her head, making Paris ask her friend. "Is there something crawling in my hair?"

Rory ignored her, then asked. "Where do you want to go?"

"Where's the bad side of town?" Paris asked back.

Rory glanced back and forth, then pointed to their left. "Over there."

"What?"

"People are very upset with the color of that fence," Rory explained.

"Come on," Paris said, exasperated with her fellow student.

Rory seemed to be getting exasperated as well. "This is the town, Paris," she shrugged. "It's not seedy, it's not run-down. It's just Stars Hollow."

"Where's the local bar?"

"In Woodbridge."

"Why aren't you helping?" Paris asked, her frustartion mounting with each passing moment.

"I'm trying," Rory shrugged again. "You're just looking for something that's not here."

"What about this place?" Paris pointed at the nearest building, which had two conflicting signs hanging in front. Paris didn't know which one to believe. _William's Hardware? Luke's Diner? Which is it?_

"Luke's Diner?" Rory asked, unknowingly answering her question.

"Diner, good," Paris said. _Finally, some progress!_

They entered the diner, Paris leading the way. Paris sat at the counter, where she grabbed a menu and pretended to read it.

"What are you doing?" Rory asked, sitting down next to her.

"I'm just blending in, fading into the crowd," Paris explained, making a show of reading the menu. "Observe."

"Hello, Rory," an unkempt looking waiter greeted, holding a coffee pot. "Coffee?"

"Sure, Luke," Rory greeted back.

"Who's your friend?" He asked, pouring her a cup.

"Angela Lansbury," Rory replied.

"You're the owner here?" Paris asked, placing the menu back from where she got it from.

Luke nodded, "Yup. Want some coffee, Angela?"

"No, thanks."

"Okay."

"So, you run this diner, huh?"

"Oh, boy," Rory muttered.

"You get a lot of truckers through here?" She asked, getting into her interviewing mind set.

"Truckers?" Luke scoffed, making Paris a little suspicious.

"Yeah, guys who've been on the road for weeks, lonely, looking for company and a pick-me-up?" Paris elaborated.

"What's she talking about?" He asked, turning his attention to Rory.

Rory held her hands up in front of her, saying with a small smile of amusement. "Your guess is as good as mine."

"It's pretty common knowledge that diners are breeding grounds for prostitution and drug dealers," Paris explained.

"What?" Luke asked, offended.

"Have you ever seen anything like that going on here?"

"Have I ever-"

"What about that guy over there?" Paris cut in, sensing that she had this Luke (if that was indeed his real name) on the ropes with her questioning. "What's his story?"

"Reverend Nichols?" Luke asked.

"Reverend Nichols, huh?" Paris soldiered onward towards the truth. "Is that like Dr. Feelgood?"

"Rory?" He asked, once again turning his attention to Gilmore. "How much do you like this person?"

"Do what you gotta do, Luke," Rory smiled.

"Hey, where did she come from?" Paris asked when a familiar looking girl came from behind the curtain. "What's up there? Is that where you keep all the other girls? You got a little cathouse upstairs?"

"Looks like she found you out, uncle Luke," the girl smirked. "Better give up now."

"Shut it," Luke pointed at his 'niece'. "Do not add to this insanity!"

"An innocent girl like me shouldn't be raised in an atmosphere such as this, it'll warp my fragile little mind," the girl smirked, then tapped the counter top as though to make her point.

"Jess," Luke barked.

_I knew she looked familiar!_ Paris thought, recognizing the girl.

"I want to be good," Jess raised her arms in mock distress. "But life just won't let me!"

"Rory," Luke huffed, gesturing at Paris. "Get her out of here."

"Okay," Rory replied, grabbing Paris by the arm. "Let's go."

"Why do you need me to leave?" Paris asked as Rory dragged her to the door. "What do you have to hide?"

"Paris, let's go," Rory pleaded.

"Fine," Paris relented, then turned to give Luke a glare. "We aren't finished, Diner Man. I'll get the dirt on you yet."

"Always a pleasure, Paris," Jess waved, taunting her.

"Hmph," Paris snorted before heading after Rory.

(GG)

Rory was on her way back home from Al's Pancake World, picking up supper, when she found herself standing in front of the video store again. She glared at the framed picture of herself, still reeling from the sheer stupidity of what had happened earlier that day. Paris was awfully excited about it though, having finally found a story worth writing. 'Censorship in Small Town America' was her working title, though Paris changed it to 'Small Town Minds Run Amok' after Rory insisted the curtain was not her idea.

"Stupid Taylor," she muttered.

"Nice picture," Jess commented, leaning against the brick wall beside the video store.

"Gee, thanks," Rory said, though she was obviously being sarcastic.

"You're very popular right now," Jess stated, pushing herself away to join Rory in front of the window. "I bet if you burned a few books, they'd probably make you mayor."

"This is ridiculous," Rory whined.

"I don't know," Jess replied, putting her hands into her back pockets and rocking on the heels of her feet. "I bet you'd have a lot of supporters on this. Pat Buchanan, Jerry Falwell, Kathie Lee Gifford."

"You're getting way too much enjoyment out of this," Rory frowned at her.

"Oh, come on, Ror. You've got to admit that this is a little funny," Jess smirked.

"No, I don't," Rory disagreed. "Being the poster girl for censorship is not a little funny. The only videos not behind that curtain are Bambi and Dumbo. They actually had a meeting to see if they should put Babe behind it as well, so as not to offend people who keep kosher."

"Crazy world we live in, huh?" Jess smirked.

"Where did they even get that stupid picture, anyway?" Rory griped.

"The picture's good," Jess assured her. "It's the people who are stupid."

"I'll never be able to leave my house again," Rory whined, looking skywards.

"At least you won't starve," Jess pointed at the bags of Al's chinese food in her hands.

"I can't look at it anymore," Rory sighed, brushing past Jess to continue toward home.

"Relax, Ror," Jess said. "I don't think it's going to be around very long."

"Why?" Rory asked, stopping in her tracks.

"Just a guess," Jess replied, ominously. She turned to leave.

"Jess," Rory called out.

"Enjoy the food," she waved over her shoulder.

"Come back here," Rory demanded.

"Why?"

"I'll give you an egg roll," Rory offered.

Jess turned around and walked up to her. "Yeah?"

"What did you do?" Rory asked.

"Nothing much," Jess shrugged, her ever present smirk giving Rory chills. "Just wanted to make sure that whoever rented Dumbo or Bambi gets a little surprise."

"What kind of surprise?" Rory asked, to which Jess simply waggled her brows in a suggestive manner. "What did you do?"

"You owe me an egg roll," Jess pointed as she began walking away again.

Rory smiled at the other girl's retreating back, then glanced over at the picture in the window again.

"Bleh," she said in disgust before once again turning to head home.

**End scene.**

**Read and review. That is all.**

**References :**

**Dune - Frank Herbert's futuristic tale of political intrigue, fanatical warfare, and environmental insight. One of my fave books, just so you know.**

**TTFN - Ta-ta for now, which is what Tigger says before departing his friends in 'Winnie the Pooh'.**

**Angela Lansbury - Star of 'Murder She Wrote', where a nosey old lady solved crimes.**


	14. Books, Baskets & Bridges

14 - Books, Baskets & Bridges

"This thing sounds retarded," Jess declared, handing Lane a wicker basket.

"Come on, Jess," Lane replied, taking the basket from her. "It'll be fun."

"Says the girl with an overly elaborate plan," Jess said in a flat tone.

"It is not overly elaborate," Lane cried.

Jess scoffed.

"Okay, maybe it's a little elaborate," Lane admitted.

"A little?" Jess asked in disbelief, tilting her head slightly to the left. "From the way you explained it, you invited your cousin David here to bid on your basket, which somehow will make your mother happy. I don't really understand that part, but I digress. Then when he gets the basket, you tell Mama Kim that you're going to go eat in the park, where Henry's supposed to call a nearby payphone at precisely 2:00pm sharp for the all's clear signal. Then David, who you previously gave twenty bucks for his part in this ruse, will take off, thus leaving you and Henry, when he arrives, free to have your first official date." Jess took a deep breath when she was finished.

"I can't believe you remembered all that, and said it all in a single breath," Lane marveled.

"My brain hurts from the lack of oxygen that took to explain all that," Jess sighed, rubbing her temple.

"Didn't Luke sent you here for a reason?" Lane reminded, who Jess had run into simply by chance while on an errand.

"Oh, right," Jess replied, blinking. "I almost forgot about the glue."

"I'm going to go buy this, then head home," Lane informed her. "I'll see you later."

"Yeah, sure," Jess smiled. "See you."

"Okay, bye," Lane waved before heading to the register with her basket.

Jess turned the corner a moment later, then stopped when she discovered Rory and Dean kissing in the aisle. She walked down the aisle and leaned against the nearest shelf, waiting for their affectionate display to be finished. Jess didn't have to wait long though, as an embarrassed Rory broke the embrace to glance over at her.

"Is it Taylor?" Dean asked, stiffening like he was about to get in trouble.

"No," Rory shook her head, causing her boyfriend to turn around.

Jess waved, but remained silent.

"Jess," Dean sighed, sounding annoyed.

"Sorry to intrude," Jess apologized, though her tone lacked anything close to resembling sincerity.

"Then why did you?" Dean asked, slightly hostile.

"Still bitchy about that shot I gave you, huh?" Jess taunted, smirking at him. "Did I hurt you, Bag Boy?"

Dean growled, "You are such an annoying little bi-"

"Hey, you two," Rory stepped between them. "Cut it out."

"If you two are done with your vertical re-enactment of 'From Here to Eternity', I would like to grab a package of super glue," Jess said, then pointed to the shelf behind them. "Which so happens to be on display right there."

"Oh," Rory replied, stepping back.

Jess grinned, "Not that this isn't an appropriate place, but-"

"Here's your glue," Dean interupted her, holding out a package of super glue toward Jess.

"Thanks," Jess nodded, then couldn't resist adding. "As you were."

Jess left the couple to their own devices, then came to a stop at the sight of Miss Patty and Lorelai talking.

"Um, why do you have a picture of me in your purse?" Lorelai asked, holding a photo up.

"Because I'm in love with you?" Patty replied in a timid voice, entirely unconvincing.

Lorelai shook her head, "Or?"

Patty sighed, "Or when, in my daily travels, I run into a nice, single guy-"

Lorelai exclaimed, ahgast. "Oh, God!"

"I like to have a visual aid to help me with the wonderful build up I give you," Patty finished.

"I appreciate the gesture," Lorelai replied, brushing a stray lock of hair from her face. "But I don't need you to try and set me up."

"You're such a beautiful girl," Patty smiled. "And you deserve a nice guy."

_Like my uncle Luke,_ Jess added in her head, watching the scene unfold from behind a some sort of display.

"I'll have a nice guy," Lorelai smiled back, though hers seemed to indicate how tired she was of the whole subject. "But let me find him, okay?"

"But you're no good at it," Patty frowned, looking defeated.

_No wonder why she's so stubborn,_ Jess frowned, realization hitting her. _If everybody was butting into my love life, I'd bury my head in the sand to escape the incessent harrassment, too. Doesn't anybody in this town know the definition of personal space?_ Jess suddenly felt guilty for her recent actions, fully knowing that what she'd done was no different than what Patty was doing now. _Great, now I'm a hypocrite._

"Patty," Lorelai whined, her hurt tone bringing Jess' attention back to the conversation.

"All right," Patty relented.

"What are you doing?" Rory asked from behind her, startling Jess.

Jess yelped in surprise, spinning around so quickly that she knocked over the display she'd been using as cover.

Rory grinned, "That was graceful."

"Yeah," Jess dryly replied, moving to pick up the knocked over display. "Thanks."

"Here, let me help," Rory offered, kneeling down beside her.

"Do people actually buy this crap?" Jess asked, reading one of the packages. _What is this stuff anyway?_

Rory shrugged, "I dunno."

They were almost finished clearing it up, their hands accidently brushed against each other. And just like that first time four months ago, Jess felt a bolt of electricity shoot up her arm. Rory gave her hand a quick squeeze, then let go. It happened so fast, Jess wasn't really sure it had happened. Jess looked over at the other girl, noticing the shy smile playing on Rory's lips.

"Thank you for cleaning the mess, you two," Taylor said, shattering the moment. "Though I do have staff to do this, I appreciate the fact that two upstanding young citizens of Stars Hollow would be willing to clean up after themselves."

"Uh, okay," Jess replied, not knowing what to say to that.

"Thanks, I guess," Rory added, sounding equally as confused.

"I'm just going to buy this glue now," Jess said, pulling the glue from her back pocket and heading over to the cash register.

"See you later, Jess."

"Bye, Rory," Jess waved, then turned around and headed over to the cashier. As she was paying for the glue Luke had sent her to buy, Jess glanced over at Rory talking to Lorelai. _What was that all about? _Jess wondered before heading to the exit.

(GG)

Luke was coming out of the kitchen when he noticed that a frantic looking Lorelai had just enter the diner, speaking with his niece as Jess was beginning to clear plates from an empty table.

"Luke," Lorelai demanded, standing beside Jess. "Where is he? I need him, Jess."

"So you're finally admitting it, huh?" Jess chuckled.

"Don't get cute and just answer the question, kid," Lorelai replied, then noticed him over Jess' shoulder. "Nevermind. I see him."

"Glad to be of service," Jess said, returning to her task.

"Thank God," Lorelai exclaimed, walking up to him. "Hey, you've gotta come!"

"Dirty," Jess muttered before heading into the kitchen with her load of plates. Luke shook his head at his niece's remark before returning his attention to Lorelai.

"What are you doing?" Luke asked, only to be surprised by Lorelai as she grabbed the plates from him. "Hey, I got to get those out!"

"Put the burgers down," Lorelai ordered, pulling away with the plates and heading behind the counter. "Jess, you're in charge!"

"Excellent," Jess said in a dry tone, re-entering from the kitchen. "My very own diner. I rock."

"Do you need money? I need money," Lorelai stated, placing the plates onto the counter before heading over to the antique cash register. "Which button opens this damn thing?" She began hitting random buttons. "This one? That one? How about this one?"

"Stop messing around with that," Luke commanded, pulling her away from the register. "You're going to break it."

"You've got to come out there with me," Lorelai pleaded, grabbing his sleeve. "Patty gave my picture out because she thinks I need a man."

"You do need a man," Luke replied, removing his arm from her grasp. "Preferably one who owns a couch and has a deep knowledge of Freud."

"You have to come out and bid on my basket," Lorelai begged.

Luke snorted loudly, "Are you serious?"

"Of course."

"I have never in my entire thirty-five years of existence participated in any of these crazy group flip-outs," Luke explained, turning around to grab the plates once again so that the people who ordered them could eat. He placed the orders down on a nearby table where a couple were sitting. "And I'm not about to start now," he finished, turning to face her.

"But-but," Lorelai sputtered, her face a mask of desperation. "Right now, out there-"

"Just buy your own basket," Luke suggested, breezing by her.

"I cannot buy my own basket," Lorelai cried, indignant. "That would be pathetic!"

"As pathetic as-" Luke began, only to be cut off by his niece.

"For God's sake, man," Jess yelled from behind the counter. "Just buy the woman's basket! She's giving me a freaking headache with her incessent whining!"

"What she said," Lorelai nodded, then added. "Except without the headache and the whining parts."

Luke sighed, walking over to the coat rack to grab his jacket. "Fine, I'll buy your damn basket."

"Yah," Lorelai clapped, turning to Jess. "Thanks for your help, kid."

"Whatever," Jess rolled her eyes.

"You coming, or not?" Luke asked, annoyed that Lorelai had once again dragged him into something against his will.

"Let's go," she grinned, pushing him out the door.

(GG)

"So where do you wanna eat?" Dean asked, walking hand in hand with Rory. He was carrying their basket in his other hand as they wandered through the park, the bidding of said basket having gone off without a hitch.

"Huh?" Rory asked back, sounding distracted.

"Where do you want to eat?" Dean repeated.

"Oh, I don't care," Rory replied, her gaze shifting away again.

"Alright then," Dean said, leading her towards the bridge.

"Where are we going?" Rory asked a moment later.

Dean let out an amused snort, stepping onto the wooden planks. "I thought you didn't care."

Rory let go of his hand, coming to a dead stop just as she stepped onto the bridge.

"Rory?" Dean asked in confused concern, wondering at the conflicted expression on her face. "You okay?"

Rory shook her head, then took a deep breath.

"We'll eat somewhere else if yo-" Dean began.

"No, here's fine," Rory sighed.

"If you really want to-"

"I said it was fine," Rory said rather sharply.

"Okay," Dean replied uneasily, wondering what it was that he had said or done that could've pissed her off.

Rory sighed again. "Sorry, I'm just feeling a little off right now," she apologized.

"Want to talk about it?" He asked.

"No," She shook her head. "Let's just eat."

"Um, okay," Dean nodded, then gestured for her to follow. "Let's sit over there."

She nodded back and followed him to the indicated spot. "Okay," she muttered.

Dean opened the basket and rifled through the contents, finding almost nothing but junk food inside. "Is there anything in here even remotely edible?" Dean asked, then turned to find Rory staring off into the distance. "Rory?"

"What?" She asked, looking at him like it was the first time they'd even met.

"Okay, Rory," Dean said, deciding to get to the bottom of Rory's current mood. "What's going on?"

"Nothing," she stubbornly answered, brushing him off.

"It's not nothing, Rory," Dean insisted, then added. "You've been acting strange and moody this entire time, from since the beginning of the auction to now. And I want to know why."

She narrowed her eyes, "I don't want to talk about it."

"Then there is something going on?" Dean asked, feeling as though he was onto something.

"You know what?" Rory huffed, suddenly angry. She rose from her seat, slapping the dust from her jeans. "I'm not very hungry right now. Why don't you enjoy the basket?"

"Where are you going?" Dean asked, completely thrown.

"Away from the interrogation," Rory said curtly, quickly adding. "Don't follow me."

"What did I do?" Dean called out after her, but Rory ignored him and continued stalking away. "Rory!"

(GG)

"You know," Lorelai smiled, having just swallowed a bite of her burger. "I think your food actually tastes better outside."

"I'll keep that in mind the next time the roof of the diner has a leak," Luke smirked, biting onto a carrot stick. "I'll just rip the damn thing off."

Lorelai laughed before taking another bite of her burger, just enjoying the fact that she'd gotten Luke to agree to a picnic. Albeit, Luke did so relunctantly, and they were sitting in the gazebo rather than on the grass like she wanted, but Lorelai would take what she could get. When she finished chewing, Lorelai asked, "This is nice, isn't it?"

Luke just gave her a weird glance, then threw a grape in his mouth.

"Come on, admit it," she pressed.

"Never," Luke replied, tossing another grape into his maw.

"What?" She asked in disbelief. "Admit it. You'd much rather be sitting out here with me than cooped up inside with Jess working."

"She's probably burned the place down by now," Luke dead-panned.

"You are stubborn," she stated, taking the last bite of her burger and wiping her hands off with a napkin.

"I'm stubborn?" Luke asked, taking umbrage to her statement.

"Yeah, you're stubborn," she nodded.

"This is rich coming from Miss Flexiblity over here," he retorted, pointing at her with a celery stick.

"I can be flexible," Lorelai rebuked, mentally adding. _Dirty._

Luke scoffed, "Please."

"I can," she insisted, grasping her coffee cup as if her life depended on it. "So long as everything is exactly how I want it, then I'm totally flexible." _Again, dirty!_

"Ah, well," Luke nodded, obviously placating her. "My mistake."

"Do you want a fry?" Lorelai asked, though she already knew what his answer was going to be.

"Want a carrot?" He asked back.

"Impossible," she muttered.

"Right back at you," he said, munching on the offered carrot immediately afterward. "So let me ask you something."

"No," Lorelai smirked.

Luke ignored her, asking his question anyway. "Who did you want to get your basket?"

"Excuse me?"

"I mean, before you knew Patty had put you on the dating game," Luke gestured with the carrot stick, as though it were a ruler or something. "You did pack this disgusting lunch for somebody, right? So who did you want to get?"

_You,_ Lorelai thought immediately, but shoved that down as suddenly as it had appeared. "Well, last year," Lorelai began, knowing that she had to give him some sort of answer. "Roy Wilkins bought it and I got my sprinklers fixed for half price," she chuckled, because this was true.

"Uh-huh," he nodded.

"And this year my rain gutters are completely clogged," she continued, trying not to laugh. "So I thought if I could get the Collins kid to bite, I'd get that taken care of."

"Very practical."

"I thought so."

"So the participation in this thing was purely for home improvement reasons?" He asked, ever the cynic.

"Yup," Lorelai agreed, then added in a wistful tone. "And I don't know, it's a nice concept."

"What is?"

"Just having someone you love, or have some kind of crazy crush on bid on your basket and then share a romantic lunch with them. It's a nice concept," she explained, staring down at her coffee.

"Well, I'm sure someday you'll manage to find the right guy and drag him out to this thing, make him buy your basket, then you'll be sitting here with him." Luke muttered, sounding a little bitter to her.

Before Lorelai could even stop to think of a proper response though, her mouth blurted out a question that was similiar to the random thought she had a few moments earlier. "But what if I've already found him?" She whispered.

"What?" Luke asked, glancing over at her. "I didn't catch that."

"Nothing," Lorelai answered in a panicked voice, feeling her face turn pale. _Oh, crap._

"You okay?" Luke asked, concern in his voice.

"I'm fine," she lied, looking anywhere but at Luke.

"I have to talk to you," Dean stated suddenly from below and behind them.

"Uh, yeah," Lorelai nodded at her daughter's boyfriend, then turned to Luke. "I'll be right back."

"I'll be right here," Luke replied, leaning back against the rail.

Lorelai rose from her seat to speak with the tall teen, letting out a relieved breath as she stepped down the gazebo steps.

"What's up, Dean?" Lorelai asked, looking up at him.

"It's Rory," Dean stated in a sad and confused tone.

"What?" Lorelai asked, her awkwardness with Luke forgotten at the mention of her daughter. "What's the matter with Rory?"

"We...got in a fight," Dean said, looking completely lost. "And I don't know...what about. I...I don't know what I did to get her so angry."

"Okay, Dean. Start from the beginning and tell me what happened," Lorelai said, feeling extremely relieved that nothing bad had happened to Rory. "And don't leave anything out."

(GG)

Jess yawned, casually swinging her feet off the bridge. She'd been sitting here for almost twenty to thirty minutes since Luke had returned from his 'forced' picnic with Lorelai, reading a novel when she noticed the sound of footfalls from across the bridge. Jess turned to find Rory walking towards her, wearing an expression that was a mix of confusion, anger and fear.

"What's up?" Jess asked, smiling up at the other girl.

"Not a lot," Rory answered, though Jess could tell she was lying.

"Rory."

"I don't want to talk about it," Rory said in a tone that would brook no argument, taking a seat beside her. Jess noticed how careful Rory was not to sit too close though, as if the other girl were afraid to touch her.

"Okay then," she nodded, turning her attention back to her book.

"What are you reading?" Rory asked after several moments of awkward quiet.

"Watership Down," Jess answered without looking up.

"Isn't that the children's book about bunnies?" Rory asked, causing Jess to look up.

"I wouldn't read this to any kid," Jess snorted, closing the book. "It's damned frightening at times."

"Frightening?" Rory grinned, quirking an eyebrow. "You, Jess Mariano, who beat up all three of the toughest girls in Stars Hollow High before she even attended her first official class, is afraid of a book about bunnies?"

"Petrified," Jess dead-panned.

"So should I be calling you Anya from now on?" Rory teased.

"Get bent," Jess retorted with a chuckle, which made Rory laugh. Their laughter died down and left them in another awkward silence, neither really knowing what to say next.

"I should probably be heading home," Rory said, rising from her seat. "Mom is probably wondering where I am right now."

"Sure," Jess replied, then added. "Or you could..."

"Or I could what?"

"Join me for some pizza?" Jess finished, hoping she'd accept the invitation.

Rory furrowed her brows, then smiled a moment later. "Sure."

"Let's get going then," Jess suggested, getting up from her seat as well.

"Alright," Rory agreed, turning around and walking away.

Jess was just about to follow when something metallic laying on the wooden planks caught her attention, forcing her to stop. When she picked it up, Jess noticed that it was a weird looking piece of jewelry. It appeared to be some sort of coin with a hole drilled in it, a thong of leather strung through it to form a bracelet. _Cute,_ Jess nodded in appreciation, deciding that she liked it.

"You coming?" Rory asked, playfully impatient.

_Glad her spirits are up,_ Jess thought with a smile.

"Sure thing, Ror," Jess answered, pocketing her discovery before following.

(GG)

"Mom?" Rory shouted in gretting, entering the house.

"Oh, hey," Lorelai returned, seated on the couch with a magaine in her hand. "Where have you been? I thought Taylor auctioned you off to the highest bidder."

"There were only two bidders, Mom," Rory rolled her eyes.

"Still can't believe Kirk bid on you," Lorelai chuckled.

"He only did that to drive up the price," Rory snorted.

"That better be all it was," Lorelai muttered. "Or I'll wring his scrawny neck."

"Anyway, I just went to get some pizza, and wandered around the bookstore," Rory explained, placing the bag she was carrying on the floor behind the couch. Rory then reached in and grabbed a book she'd bought for her mother, holding it out for Lorelai to grab. "Here."

"What's this?" Lorelai asked, taking the book to read the title.

"You said you wanted to read 'the Children's Hour'," Rory smiled, taking her coat off.

"I did?" Her mother asked, intrigued since she obviously had no memeory of saying this. "When?"

"When we were watching 'Julia', and Jane Fonda was playing Lillian Hellman," Rory explained.

"Oh, yeah," Lorelai chuckled, grinning up at her. "And I made that Hellman's mayonnaise joke."

"Which no one ever needs to hear again," Rory interupted, thinking back on how bad the joke had been.

"Right," her mother agreed, nodding at her. "Uh, well. Thanks."

"You're welcome," Rory smiled, taking her jacket and the bag containing her purchases toward her bedroom.

"So who were you with?" Lorelai asked when Rory was half of the way to her room..

"What?"

"Pizza, book-buying," Lorelai clarified, shaking her head left to right. "Did you have company?"

"Yeah."

"Who?"

"Jess," Rory smiled, feeling a little giddy.

"Jess?" Lorelai asked, looking a little surprised.

"Yeah," Rory confirmed with a nod.

"Right," Lorelai said in the same surprised tone.

_What's that supposed to mean?_ Rory wondered before dismissing it. "So I'll be in my room," Rory smiled, hiking her thumb over her shoulder.

"Okay, good," she heard her mother say from the living room.

As soon as she entered her bedroom, Rory set to work on organizing the new books that Jess had helped pick out.

"So how was the picnic?" Lorelai asked, entering the room.

"Fine," Rory lied, continuing to organize the books.

"Good," Lorelai nodded, placing her hands in her jean pockets. "Did you get the whole Dean issue resolved?"

"What Dean issue?" Rory asked, deciding to play dumb on this one.

"Rory," Lorelai urged, using her 'Don't-Lie-To-Mommy' voice.

"We had a fight," Rory sighed, relenting. _How did she find out?_

"He told me you had some sort of freak out on the bridge," Lorelai said, as if knowing what Rory was thinking. "Want to talk about it?"

"Not really," Rory turned her back, annoyed with both her mom and her boyfriend.

"Then why don't you tell me how you and Jess ended up spending time together," Lorelai suggested, adding. "You know, instead of the romantic picnic you and Dean have been planning for the last week or so."

"Drop it, Mom," Rory pleaded, facing her mother. "Please."

"I'm just curious as to why you'd choose Luke's niece's company over that of your boyfriend's," Lorelai pressed.

Rory stalked past her mother, grabbing her jacket from the bed.

"Where are you going?" Lorelai asked, following her to the back door.

"Out," Rory snapped, slamming the door after herself.

**End scene.**

**As usual, read and review. Thanks!**

**References :**

**Watership Down - Written by Richard Adams, it's a book about a group of rabbits searching for a new home after theirs is destroyed.**

**Anya - Played by Emma Caulfield, Anya is a character on the TV show 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' who has a deep fear of bunnies.**


	15. Mothers, Daughters, Strangers

15 - Mothers, Daughters, Strangers

Rory was fuming, her hands jammed deep into her pockets. She wandered aimlessly through town, hoping that her anger would dissipate after a long walk. Her efforts were met with little to no success.

"Would you happen to know where the nearest hotel would be?" A girl's voiced asked, startling Rory slightly.

"Excuse me?" Rory asked, noticing for the first time that she wasn't alone. Looking up Rory was greeted by the sight of a red-headed girl about her own age, who was shorter than herself by about two or three inches. Her red hair was cut short to a length that was halfway down her neck, giving her a pixie-like appearance. The girl was dressed in a light red, almost pink jacket and blue jeans, while carrying a small suitcase in her right hand and a duffel bag slung over her left shoulder.

"Hotel?" The red-haired girl repeated with a wave of her free hand, smiling warmly at Rory. "Would you happen to know where I could find one?"

"Um, yeah," Rory nodded, finally answering. She looked around to get her bearings, immediately knowing where she currently was in town. "Uh, there's the Cheshire Cat on the eastside of town," Rory pointed across the square, then hiked her thumb over her shoulder. "And the Independence Inn is just a little ways back that way."

"Wow, two whole choices, huh?" The girl asked in a sarcastic manner that reminded Rory of a certain somebody, if only for that particular instant. "Which would you stay in? If you were an out-of-towner like myself, I mean."

"Independence Inn," Rory quickly replied, adding. "The Cheshire is just a little too out there for most people, unless you're really into the whole 'Alice In Wonderland' motif they have going on over there."

"Which I am not," the girl answered with a dramatic sigh, then perked up with a grin. "Looks like I'm on my way to the Independence Inn."

"Okay then," Rory nodded.

"Thanks for your help," the girl smiled, waving before she turned to leave.

"You're welcome," Rory replied, then turned to face Luke's Diner across the square. Her eyes were immediately drawn to Jess, who happened to be taking out the garbage at the moment. She suddenly remembered what Lane had said during the cheerleading misunderstanding two weeks ago, when she let slip that Jess may still have a thing for her. Rory was tempted to see if there was any truth to the statement, but she decided now wasn't the right time for that particular conversation. She didn't have the energy for another potential argument, especially considering the fact that she had yet to think of a way to smooth things over with her mother, not to mention Dean.

_Time to head home,_ Rory sighed, turning back towards the Crap Shack.

(GG)

Lorelai stared at her plate, poking at her food with her fork as her mother jabbered on about something or other. She vaguely heard her mention a flophouse, but that was as far as Lorelai's attention to her mother's chatter that she'd heard.

"I'm sorry," Emily said loudly, clearly annoyed with being ignored. "Am I boring you?"

"No, you're not," Lorelai replied, still poking absently at her food.

"Sorry, Grandma," Rory apologized.

"So how are things at the Inn?" Emily asked.

"Fine," Lorelai smiled politely, spinning her fork in the air. "You know, same old, same old."

"And Rory," Emily turned her attention to the other side of the table. "How is that boyfriend of yours?"

"Apparently very chatty," Rory snarked.

Lorelai scoffed, offended.

"That's nice," Emily said, apparently oblivious to the hostility in Rory's reply. She turned back to Lorelai, asking. "Lorelai, anything new with you?"

"No, nothing," Lorelai shook her head, stabbing and cutting into her food. She shot her daughter a sharp glance, which Rory was quick to return in kind. "It's been pretty quiet around the house lately."

"Well, sometimes quiet could be nice," Emily commented, quickly adding. "Soothing." Beat. "You can hear yourself think." Placing her utensils down with a loud clink, Emily had finally had enough. "All right, that's it," Emily snapped, folding her hands in her lap. "What is going on with you two?"

"Nothing," Lorelai denied, shaking her head.

"It's not nothing," Emily insisted, shifting her gaze between the two younger Gilmores. "You've both been just sitting here, not saying a word, and not even looking at each other. Are you in a fight?"

"I'm not," Lorelai answered.

"Please," Rory scoffed.

"Please, what?" Lorelai defended. "You've been the one freezing me out for the last day and a half."

"I just haven't had anything to say," Rory said, then reached into her bag as her pager began going off.

"Who is it?" Lorelai asked.

"No one."

"Why won't you tell me who it is?"

"Because it's no one," Rory rolled her eyes, closing the pager after typing her reply.

"Is it Jess?" Lorelai asked, just throwing out the first name that popped in her head.

"What?" Rory asked, her eyes round in sudden anger. "Why would Jess be calling me?"

"I don't know," Lorelai shrugged, taken aback by how defensive her daughter had suddenly become. "Because you're friends with the little jerk."

"I thought you liked Jess," Rory stated.

"Who's Jess?" Emily asked, completely lost in their argument.

"Luke's niece," Lorelai answered her mother before turning back to Rory. "The jury is still out on Jess, but she doesn't help her cause when she's interfering with things that are none of her business."

"What are you talking about?" Rory asked, confused.

"I'm talking about how you blew off Dean to spend the day with her," Lorelai said, annoyed that her daughter was keeping secrets from her.

"Oh, my God," Rory huffed.

"He was really hurt by how you just ditched in the middle of your picnic," Lorelai explained.

"So he ran to my mommy?" Rory asked, shaking her head. Rory grabbed her bag and reached in, then pulled out the pager. She held it out to Lorelai. "You want to read it so badly? Here, but it probably won't matter since Dean will just come over and tell you about it later anyway."

"That's not funny," Lorelai shook her head. "You know, you've been-"

"I don't want to get into this!" Rory whined, cutting off her mother.

"Don't interupt your mother like that, Rory," Emily chided in disapproval. "And what is it that you don't want to get into? Is it this Jess girl? Is she a bad influence? Does she do drugs? Lorelai, how could let your daughter get involved with someone who is on drugs?"

"Jess isn't on drugs, Grandma," Rory sighed.

"Not that you know of, anyway," Lorelai snarked, knowing she was being completely out of line for attacking Jess.

"When did you become so anti-Jess?" Rory asked in a loud voice, calling her mom on her crap. "Except for that first night when she came over, Jess has been nothing but friendly to you!"

"Lower your voice, Rory," Emily admonished, then added. "If your mother thinks that this girl isn't appropriate company, then you have to listen to her."

"This is so unfair," Rory cried, hugging her stomach. "To me. And to Jess." She sniffled, wiping her nose with the sleeve of her sweater. "She's not even here to defend herself and now you're ragging on her. And just because you're mad at me."

"Rory-" Lorelai began.

"E-exc-use me," Rory hiccupped, getting up from her chair. "I'm sudden-ly not very h-un-gry."

Lorelai watched her daughter slink out of dining room, the sight of her shaking shoulders making Lorelai feel guilty.

"Crap," Lorelai swore, leaning forward and pressing her palms against her forehead.

"What is it, Lorelai?" Emily asked.

"She's completely right," Lorelai groaned, propping her elbows onto the table. "I was ragging on her friend, but it's not like her to keep things from me. And I don't like it, because we usually share everything."

"She's growing up, Lorelai," Emily stated simply, as though that explained everything. "It's to be expected that she'd keep things from you."

"But that's not Rory and me, Mom. That's-" Lorelai began, then stopped when she realized what she was about to say.

"You and I, right?" Emily finished. "That's what you were going to say, wasn't it?"

"Mom, I'm sorry," Lorelai apologized. "I didn't mean anything by it."

"I know, Lorelai," Emily nodded, though Lorelai could tell she was hurt. "It's getting late, so I think I'll be heading off to bed now."

"Mom-"

"Good night, Lorelai," Emily interupted. "You know the way out. Have a safe trip home and I'll see you next week."

Lorelai leaned back in her chair and stared up at the ceiling, sitting alone in the dining room.

"I'm such a fucking idiot," Lorelai swore under her breath, angry at herself on how she'd managed to hurt both her daughter and mother within the same two minute span.

(GG)

The ride home was quiet, with neither Gilmore saying a word to the other.

Rory stared out the window, absently staring at the white line as they sped home. She spent about ten minutes or so doing this until the jeep slowed to a stop, her mother pulling over to the side of the road.

"Why are we stopping?" Rory asked.

"I'm sorry," Lorelai said, her voice strained. "I shouldn't have said all that stuff about Jess. I just don't like how distant you've become as of late. And seeing how you bailed on Dean, then finding out you hung out with her instead...it just made her an easy target."

"I don't mean to act distant, it's just that I'm just working through some stuff right now," Rory explained.

"Why can't I help?" Lorelai pleaded. "It's what I'm here for, you know."

"Not with this, Mom," Rory sighed. "You can't help me with this. Just try to accept that I need to get through this by myself, okay?"

"Okay, but that doesn't mean I'm not here if you change your mind, kiddo."

"I know, Mom," Rory assured. "And if and when I need your help, I'll let you know."

"Promise?"

Rory smiled, "I promise."

"Let's go home," Lorelai said, resuming their journey home.

"Okay," Rory agreed, glad that they'd made up.

(GG)

"Lucas," Lorelai shouted, entering the diner in her usual disruptive manner. "I'm here for my breakfast!"

"He's not here," Jess griped without looking up from her book.

"Where'd he go?" Lorelai asked, to which Jess shrugged.

"Wow, it's dead in here," Rory marvelled, glancing around the empty diner.

"This is the second time in the last week it's been like this," Jess said, still reading her book. "Everybody is getting geared up for something called the Firelight Festival, so it's been pretty hit or miss lately."

"You the only one here?" Lorelai asked.

"You see anybody else, Miss Gilmore?" Jess asked back, glancing up from her book finally.

"My, aren't we in a good mood this morning," Lorelai playfully taunted.

"Let me guess," Jess pursed her lips. "You guys want coffee."

"She's a smart one," Lorelai smiled.

"She's also been up since five in the morning, so I wouldn't push her buttons if I were you," Jess warned.

"Scary how much you're like your uncle sometimes," Lorelai commented.

"So besides the coffee, what do you need?" Jess asked.

"Pancakes covered in strawberries, please," Rory replied, taking a seat at the counter.

"And you?" Jess turned to Lorelai.

"I'm feeling like french toast and maple syrup today," she smiled, sitting at one of the open tables.

"Why are you sitting over there?" Rory asked, giving her mother a weird look.

"Because this is the cool table."

"Why is that designated the cool table?" Rory pressed, then pointed to one near the window. "Why not that one?"

"Because I say so," Lorelai grinned.

"You two are insane," Jess stated before heading into the kitchen. As she was halfway through making Lorelai and Rory's breakfasts, Jess heard the bells on the door ring to signify that somebody had entered. "I'll be right out," she called out.

"No rush," a familiar voice called back, making Jess freeze in her spot. _It couldn't be, could it?_

Jess decided to finish making the breakfasts, dismissing her earlier thought. _There's no way she'd know I'm in Stars Hollow._

"Here's your fo..." Jess began when she exitted the kitchen, only to have her sentance trail off as she took notice of the person who was currently speaking with the Gilmores. _I know that red-hair...that's..._

"Jess?" Rory asked, a concerned expression on the brunette's face.

"Long time no see, Jessie," the red-head said, turning around to smile at her, causing both Gilmore girls to look at each other in surprise.

"Miranda," Jess whispered, nearly dropping the plates in her hands.

**End scene.**

**Miranda is portrayed by the fabulous Felicia Day. Please review after reading.**


	16. Firelight Folly

16 - Firelight Folly

"You two are insane," Jess stated on her way into the kitchen.

"She forgot to give us our coffee," Lorelai griped when Jess had gone.

"Your fault," Rory said from her seat at the counter.

"How is that my fault?" Lorelai whined.

"So what do you want to do today?" Rory asked back, ignoring her mother's question.

"Oh, I don't know," Lorelai shrugged, then gestured for her daughter to join her at the table. "Come sit with Mommy."

Rory rolled her eyes, but joined her mother at the indicated table.

"I wonder where Luke went," Lorelai thought aloud, making a show of thinking about it.

"Maybe he slept in?"

"Impossible."

"Maybe he..." Rory began, then gave up. "Okay, I got nothing."

"Can't think of anything either," Lorelai frowned.

They turned at the sound of the bells jingling, seeing a red haired girl standing in the doorway. The girl smiled at Rory and made her way over to their table.

"I'll be right out," Jess called out just as it appeared the girl was about to speak.

"No rush," the girl shouted back, then turned her attention back to Rory and her mother. "Hey, nice meeting you again."

"Do I know you?" Rory asked, not recognizing the girl.

"You gave me directions to the Inn a day or so ago," the girl reminded, standing beside their table.

"Oh, yeah," Rory nodded, remembering where she'd seen her. "You find everything okay?"

"Yup," the girl replied, then smiled sheepishly. "In fact, this is the first time I've been out since getting here. Those beds are so comfortable, I just couldn't get out of mine."

"You're the girl in room twelve, right?" Lorelai asked, cutting herself into the conversation.

"That's me," the girl smiled, then gestured to the chair to Rory's left. "May I?"

"Sure," Rory replied, returning her smile. "Be my guest."

"What brings you to our humble little town?" Lorelai asked as the girl took her seat.

"I'm looking for a friend of mine," the girl answered. "I heard that she might be here, though I was a little skeptical since my source isn't exactly known for her reliability."

"And what might be this friend's name?" Lorelai continued, then added. "Maybe we can help you find her."

"Here's your fo..." Jess announced, her words trailing out to a whisper.

Rory glanced over Jess, wondering about the confused expression on the lithe brunette's face. "Jess?"

"Long time no see, Jessie," the girl greeted, a wide grin on her face.

Rory turned to her mother, seeing the surprise she was feeling mirrored back at her.

"Miranda..." Jess whispered, her eyes wide in shock.

"You two know each other?" Rory asked, looking between the two girls.

"Oh, yeah," the girl named Miranda said, a little smile on her lips. "Me and Jessie go way back."

"Jessie?" Lorelai giggled, smirking at Luke's niece.

"Mom," Rory said in a chiding tone.

"What?"

"Be quiet."

"Ah, Miranda, uh, in...um...I..." Jess sputtered to the red-head, putting the plates down on the counter with shaky hands.

_Who is this girl?_ Rory wondered, watching Jess stumble over her words. _Who is she to Jess that she can turn her into a babbling idiot?_

"I would've called, but your mom didn't say exactly where in this town you were staying," Miranda explained, then added in an apologetic tone. "And now that I see the look on your face, maybe I should've pressed for that info. Or a phone number, at the very least."

"Liz told you I was here?" Jess asked, sounding very annoyed at the mention of her mother.

_That was quite the recovery, _Rory observed with interest.

"I hate to interrupt this little reunion," Lorelai spoke up, waving her hand to get attention. "But I was wondering if we could have our breakfasts?"

"Make those to go, please," Rory added, suddenly feeling as though she were intruding.

"Sure, Rory," Jess nodded, then turned to grab take-out boxes for their food.

Miranda stood back and studied her surroundings, her attention fixed on the items on the opposite wall. While her mother paid for their breakfasts, Rory studied the girl, wondering again what sort of connection this Miranda had to her Jess. Rory blinked in mild shock at the thought. _My Jess?_

"Rory," Lorelai said, grabbing her attention. "Let's go."

"Sure, Mom," Rory replied, following her mother out the door. With one last quick glimpse back, Rory couldn't figure out why she was feeling a strange queasiness as Jess and Miranda began speaking, their words unheard through the glass from outside.

Rory sighed, then followed her mother once again.

(GG)

"I take it that you're not very happy to see me?" Miranda asked, stepping up to the counter as soon as Rory and her mother had left.

Jess shook her head. "Just surprised."

"I should've called," Miranda stated, sitting down on a stool.

"Would've been nice to have some sort of warning," Jess agreed, then let out a small smile. "But I will admit, it is nice to see you again."

Miranda returned the smile, then pointed at the coffee pot. "Could I have some of that?"

"Sure," Jess nodded, grabbing a cup for the red head. "Coming right up."

Just as Jess had finished pouring Miranda a cup of coffee, Luke entered the diner with a determined step.

"What's up with you?" Jess asked, wondering at her uncle's annoyed expression.

"The rest of your stuff is in the back of the truck," Luke informed her, scowling. "Come and help me bring it inside and upstairs."

"Can I help?" Miranda asked, getting up from her stool.

"Who are you?" Luke asked, his tone curt. He was definitely in a bad mood.

"Miranda, this is my uncle, Luke Danes," Jess introduced, then turned to Luke. "Luke, this is a friend of mine from New York, Miranda Leahy."

"Nice to meet you," Miranda greeted, holding her hand out.

Luke shook her hand, returning the greeting. "Right back at ya."

"Shall we?" Miranda asked, heading to the door without waiting for an answer.

Luke gave his niece a questioning glance, to which Jess could only shrug.

"Anyway, let's get this done," Luke stated, then followed after the red headed girl.

"Shouldn't somebody stay and watch the d-"

"Jessica!"

Jess rolled her eyes, "Coming."

(GG)

Dean walked beside Rory, the two of them hand in hand, wandering the square along with the rest of Stars Hollow. The Firelight Festival was in full swing. Dean was slightly worried when their date had begun, considering what had happened at this same festival last year. And add in the fact that Rory's moods have been rather unpredictable as of late, it was rather safe to say that Dean didn't really know what to expect from his girlfriend. So far though everything was going smoothly for the tall youth, which suited him just fine.

"This is so great," Rory grinned up at him, her current happy mood infectious. "I love the Firelight Festival!"

"Yeah," Dean agreed, smiling back. "It's nice."

"So I was thinking after this, we could head over to my house and watch a movie," Rory suggested.

"Sure," Dean agreed again, hoping that by being totally agreeable that he could avoid any sort of trouble.

"And then when we're done that, we'll try to take over the world," Rory piped.

"Sounds good," Dean replied, then stopped in confusion. "Wait, what?"

"Oh, so you were listening," Rory remarked, smirking at him.

"Uh, um," Dean stammered, before taking notice of Jess and another girl who he didn't recognize walking together across the square. "Who's that with Jess?"

Rory followed his gaze, her face falling when her eyes hit the two other girls. "That's Miranda," Rory muttered, sounding a little bitter to Dean.

"Who?"

"Nevermind them," Rory waved her hand dismissively, grabbing his right arm. "Why don't we go watch that movie now?"

"Hey, they're coming this way," Dean pointed with his chin.

"Ah, man," Rory muttered under her breath.

Dean glanced at his girlfriend, wondering what was up. _Is 'Psycho Rory' going to make an appearance tonight?_

"Hello again, Rory," the red head greeted with a friendly grin. "Hi, tall guy who I assume is her boyfriend."

"Dean," he supplied, introducing himself.

"Miranda," the red head supplied back, then proceded to playfully punch him on his left shoulder.

"Oh, God," Jess groaned, embarrassed by her friend's behavior. "I can't take you anywhere."

"Shut up, dyke," Miranda retorted with a laugh.

Dean let out a nervous chuckle, not quite sure what to make of the new girl. He also wondered why Jess wasn't going ballistic, remembering what the lithe brunette had done to the last person who had called her a dyke. Her beatdown on Shane Williams had become somewhat legendary around the school.

"What did you just call her?" Rory asked in a very angry tone, which surprised everybody present.

_And there she is,_ Dean thought, a little afraid of Rory at that particular moment.

"Rory," Jess interjected, shaking her head. "It's okay. She doesn't mean anything by it."

"Did I say something wrong?" Miranda asked, looking back and forth between them. "How does she know that yo-"

"Hey, well, look at the time," Jess interupted, pulling Miranda by the arm. "We have to go and help Luke close up the diner. See you guys later."

"Um, okay then," Miranda waved, being dragged away by Jess. "Nice meeting you, Dean. Later, guys!"

"See ya," Dean waved, feeling very confused by the encounter.

"Bye," Rory muttered, then tugged on his arm. "Come on, let's go watch that movie."

"Okay," Dean replied, allowing himself to be led away. He took a quick glance over his shoulder at the two girls walking away, wondering what had just happened back there. What was that Miranda girl about to say before Jess interupted her? While Dean wanted to know the answer to that particular question, as well as to why Rory had almost exploded on Miranda just then, he chose to keep quiet out of fear that her anger would instead be taken out on him.

_Maybe it's better I don't know,_ he decided.

(GG)

"So what's the deal with you and Rory?" Miranda asked, the two girls walking towards the diner.

"Nothing," Jess answered, shoving her hands into her pockets. "We're just friends."

"But she knows, right?" Miranda asked, glancing over at her friend.

"Knows what?"

"That you're gay," Miranda said, her tone lowered so that only Jess could hear her.

"Yeah, she knows," Jess replied, nodding. "As does Lane."

"Who's Lane?"

"My best friend."

"So I've been replaced?" Miranda smirked.

Jess chuckled, "No one could ever replace you, Mir."

"And don't you forget it," Miranda replied, pushing the diner door open.

"How could I?" Jess laughed, stepping inside. "You remind me every chance you get!"

"Okay, now you're making me sound needy," Miranda said, following after Jess.

"It's about time you got here," Luke grumbled at Jess, immediately pointing to the curtained doorway leading upstairs. "I want you to organize your stuff enough for us to walk around in that place. I nearly tripped twice the last time I went up there to get something out of the safe."

"He's not very graceful," Jess whispered to Miranda, who giggled.

"No, he's not," Lorelai said from the table to the girls' left, startling them since they hadn't seen her sitting there.

"You stay out of this, Lorelai," Luke ordered, frowning at Lorelai.

"Oh, lighten up, Lucas," Lorelai rebuked, grinning at him before taking a long swig from a coffee cup. She smiled at the girls. "So did you two enjoy the Firelight Festival?"

Jess replied, "It was..."

"Unique," Miranda finished.

"To say the least," Jess agreed.

"You didn't happen to see Rory wandering around out there, did you?" Lorelai asked.

"Oh, yeah," Miranda nodded, smirking over at Jess. "We saw her."

"She was with Dean," Jess added, hoping to draw attention away from her obnoxious friend.

"Obviously," Lorelai replied, taking another sip from her cup. She apparently didn't notice Miranda's antics, or chose to ignore them. Either way though, Jess was grateful for it.

"I'm getting a little tired," Jess declared, looking over at the red head standing beside her. "So why don't we go organize my crap enough so that I can find my bed."

"I don't swing that way, Jessie," Miranda quipped, causing Lorelai to sputter out a mouthful of coffee. Miranda winced as Lorelai coughed, wiping her mouth with a napkin. "Sorry."

"Ah, jeez," Jess and Luke muttered at the same time, though for different reasons.

(GG)

Rory couldn't quite believe what had happened, just a half hour earlier, on the very spot where she was sitting now. One moment she and Dean were simply cuddling on her lumpy couch as they watched the movie, then the next moment Rory had draped herself all over Dean, attacking him like her very life depended on it. Heavy breathing, mashed lips and dancing tongues soon followed, very much like all their previous make-out sessions, but with one thing major difference.

She shivered at the memory, disbelief and denial racing through her head. And the worse thing about it was that it was her idea, her suggestion. Dean had been so reluctant, so sweet. Which just made Rory feel like a total bitch for what she'd coersed him into doing, then not thinking of him when he finally had done it.

"Are you sure?" Dean had asked, his hand grasping the front of her belt. "We can stop if you want."

"Don't want to," Rory shook her head, her voice husky.

"Rory," Dean whispered, his relunctance obvious.

"Dean," she grabbed his hand, helping him unbuckle the belt. "I want this."

Dean didn't look convinced. "I don't know..."

"Please," Rory whined, taking his hand and guiding it into her jeans. "Touch me."

_Stupid fucking whore,_ Rory swore at herself, tears trailing down her cheeks as she remembered. _You don't deserve a guy like him._

He relented, of course. Dean always gave in to Rory's wishes, always willing to show her how much he loves her. Even when it was something he didn't feel comfortable doing.

And though Dean's hands were rough against her soft skin, Rory found herself imaging it was Jess doing these things to her. Imagining it was Jess on top of her, making her feel like the most beautiful and important girl in the world. Imagining it was the lithe girl's fingers working their magic on Rory, rather than the tall boy who'd done nothing but go out of his way to make her happy. Guilt and anger washed over her then, killing whatever ardor she'd been feeling.

"Stop," Rory choked out, pushing against him.

Dean pulled his hand away immediately, his concern for her well-being just added to the fuel of Rory's burgeoning self-loathing.

_Let's not forget regret,_ Rory thought, her vision blinded by tears. _We can't forget our old friend regret in all this._

"I should go home," Dean said a moment later, awkwardly rising from the couch.

"Okay," Rory whispered in a hollow tone, glancing up at him.

He leaned down, kissing her on the cheek. "I'll call you tomorrow, okay?"

"Okay," Rory repeated, not knowing what else to say.

"I love you," Dean declared softly, looking deeply into her eyes. "You know that, right?"

"Yeah," she nodded, trying desperately to keep her voice steady. "I know."

Dean's face had fallen a little when she didn't return the quiet declaration, but he left without raising a complaint.

"Stupid fucking whore," Rory whispered aloud, wiping her eyes against the back of her sleeve.

(GG)

When Lorelai arrived home, she was surprised to find the lights turned out and the television on mute. Rory lay against the far end of the couch, sniffling and whimpering softly into her pillow.

_Not again,_ Lorelai sighed. _I'm going to kill that tall freak the next time I see him._

"Mom?" Rory rasped, looking over at her. She wiped her cheeks, trying vainly to hide the fact that she'd been crying.

"You okay, Babe?" Lorelai asked, knowing it was a stupid question.

"I'm fine," Rory lied.

"Did you guys break up again?" Lorelai asked, frowning with concern. She sat down on the opposite end of the couch.

Rory shook her head.

"Rory," Lorelai pressed, skeptical.

"We didn't break up," Rory stated, then bit her lip. "But I...nevermind."

"Rory," Lorelai repeated in a pleading tone, reaching over and grasping her daughter's hand. "Please don't shut me out anymore."

Rory's eyes filled up again at her mother's plea, wrapping her arms around Lorelai.

"I did something stupid," Rory sobbed.

A thousand thoughts raced through Lorelai's mind then, none of them good. Her hands felt clammy all of a sudden, her heart jumping up into her throat. _I'm definitely going to kill that tall freak!_

"It wasn't Dean's fault, Mom," Rory sniffled, pulling away from her mother to look her in the eye. She hic-cupped slightly before continuing. "It was my idea."

"Ror-"

"Please, Mom," Rory insisted, her voice steadier now. "I need you to be my best friend right now, okay?"

Lorelai took a deep breath, then nodded for Rory to continue. "Okay."

Rory then proceded to tell her what happened when she and Dean had arrived, from watching the movie to what had happened on the very couch they were sitting on. Rory kept insisting that the entire thing was her idea, telling Lorelai of her boyfriend's relunctance through the whole event. Neither fact really helped assuage Lorelai's worries, the knowledge of her daughter no longer being completely innocent distracting her.

They stayed quiet for a moment before Rory finally whispered. "I think..." Hic-cup. "I'm going to break up with Dean."

"Oh, honey," Lorelai hugged her daughter, her heart breaking for how torn up Rory had become.

_I'm really starting to hate this damn festival._

**End scene.**

**Feel free to review this chapter.**


	17. Dark Moods & Missed Opportunities

17 - Dark Moods & Missed Opportunites

Following the fateful events of the Firelight Festival and what had happened afterward, Rory took it apon herself to avoid contact with both Jess and Dean in an attempt to gain some perspective. Her mother had said she would support whatever action Rory chose, despite the fact she didn't have all the information concerning Rory's plight. She did ask Rory to think a little longer on the subject of breaking up with Dean, to which Rory agreed. But only on the condition that Lorelai inform Dean about her decision. Dean wasn't particularly happy about it when Lorelai met him at the door on Sunday morning, but what other choice did he have other than acceptance?

Jess, on the other hand, didn't seem to notice her absence. At least that's what Rory had gleaned from what little her mother had mentioned of the other girl.

_And why should she notice I'm not around?_ Rory asked herself with bitterness. _She has Miranda keeping her company, after all._

Rory buried her face into a pillow, trying not to scream out her frustration.

"Honey?" Lorelai asked from the doorway, her concern evident. "You okay?"

_No,_ Rory thought, miserable as she imagined Jess and Miranda making out on Luke's dusty old couch. Rory knew she was being irrational, but she just couldn't help herself.

"Rory?"

"I'm fine," she sighed, both of them knowing that she was lying.

Lorelai let it slide, asking. "You want to talk to your dad?"

"What?" Rory asked back, surprised. _It's nice out here in left field. I didn't even hear the phone ring._

"Your dad is on the phone," Lorelai explained, holding the phone up for Rory.

Rory got up from her bed, taking the cordless from her mother. "Hey, Dad," she greeted, turning to sit back down on her bed.

"Hey, kiddo," Christopher returned, sounding cheery. "How you doing?"

"I'm fine," Rory replied, her tone flat. She looked over at her mother, who immediately had the grace/gall to act innocent. _Maybe if I keep saying that I'm fine, she'll finally leave me alone._ She scoffed under her breath. _Not bloody likely._

"You don't sound that way to me," Chris stated.

_1, 2, 3, 4,_ Rory counted in her head, biting her tongue. She took a deep, steadying breath before saying. "Really, Dad. I'm fine."

"Alright, I believe you."

_I'm sure you do,_ Rory rolled her eyes. "So what do I owe the pleasure of your call, Dad?"

Lorelai left as soon as Rory asked the question, confirming her earlier suspicion. _Mom must be really desperate if she's calling Dad for help,_ Rory realized. She only half-listened to her father as Christopher went on about his girlfriend Sherry and how she wanted to meet Rory, which would have made Rory cringe if she could bring herself to care. She eventually agreed to meet the woman, more so she could get off the phone than anything else.

"Well, we'll see you Saturday," Chris said.

"Sure, Dad," Rory agreed without really knowing what she was agreeing to. "See you then. Bye."

"Bye, kiddo."

Rory stared at the cordless for a moment, her mind blank before finally dialing a number. She shakily punched in the buttons, not knowing fully what she was doing. As the phone rang on the other side, Rory bit her lip in nervous anticipation. _I just want to hear her voice._

"Hello," Jess answered.

"Eeep," Rory involuntarily gasped, then quickly hung up. _Crap, crap, crap._

(GG)

Jess stared down at her cellphone, wondering who the hell just called her only to hang up.

"So, I'm off," Miranda announced with a smile, coming down the Inn stairs. She had a duffle bag draped over her left shoulder and a suitcase grasped in her right hand.

"It was nice to see you again," Jess said, rising from the couch in the lobby. She walked over to the red head, who pulled Jess into a hug.

"Right back at you," Miranda replied, then whispered in her ear. "You should tell her."

"Tell who what?" Jess asked, a little confused. Miranda always said random shit to throw people, a trait that Jess had partially picked up when they used to hang out in New York. It was part of the reason why Jess had befriended her back in her ballet days.

"You'll figure it out," Miranda smirked, then slapped her on the shoulder.

"I really hate it when you pull the cryptic crap, Mir," Jess frowned.

"I know you do," Miranda chuckled. "Come on, dyke. Walk me to the bus stop."

"Sure," Jess nodded, following the red head to the door. They walked in general silence, Jess wondering what Miranda had meant by her remark in the lobby.

"So this is it," Miranda smiled sadly when they arrived at the bus stop, pulling something from her duffle bag. "I'll miss you."

"Ditto," Jess smiled, uncomfortable at her friend's sudden display of emotion.

"Here," Miranda held it out for Jess to grab.

"What is this?" Jess asked, taking it from her. It looked to be a beret.

"It's a beret, jackass."

"I can see that."

"Then why'd you ask?"

"What am I supposed to do with it?" Jess asked, turning it about in her hands.

"I think she'll look cute in it," Miranda grinned as the bus pulled up, air brakes hissing loudly behind her.

"You mean Rory, don't you?" Jess whispered, looking up at Miranda.

"Say bye to her for me, okay?" Miranda asked before turning around and heading onto the bus.

"Will do," Jess nodded, still turning the beret in her hands.

Just as the bus was about to leave, Miranda opened one of the windows. "Quit being a chickenshit and tell her how you feel," she shouted as the bus pulled away. "She might surprise you!"

Jess smiled, but remained silent as she watched the bus drive off into the distance. When it was out of sight, she pulled her cellphone out and hit recall on the number that had phoned her.

(GG)

Lorelai was making coffee when she heard the phone ring, grabbing the cordless off the table where Rory had left it.

"Hello," Lorelai greeted cheerily, pressing the on button on her coffee machine. "Lorelai residence."

"Hey," Jess greeted back over the line, sounding surprised to Lorelai. "Um, how you doing?"

"I'm doing great, Jess," Lorelai replied, walking over to the fridge. "And you?"

"I'm cool."

Lorelai chuckled, "That's excellent."

"So I'm wo-" Jess began.

"Hey, I'm having a brainstorm here and I want to ask you something," Lorelai interupted, grabbing a Red Bull from her fridge and opening it.

"Um, okay."

"What are you doing tonight?" She asked before taking a sip.

"Nothing much."

"How would you feel about hanging out with Rory tonight?" Lorelai asked, taking another sip.

"Hurt, confused," Jess replied, her tone playful. "A little dirty."

Lorelai laughed, "You really have been around us too long."

"Not lately," she replied, sounding a little sad.

"So back to my question."

"Sure," Jess replied. "I got nothing else going on, so hanging out with Rory is no problem."

"Luke doesn't have you on tonight?" Lorelai asked.

"I'm sure I can get out of it if I mention it was your idea," Jess replied with a laugh.

"So what time could you get here and take her off my hands?" Lorelai smiled, shaking her head at the girl's subtle jibe.

"How does six sound?"

"Sounds like a date."

"See you then?"

"See you then," Lorelai confirmed before hanging up.

"Who were you talking to?" Rory asked, walking into the kitchen.

"Jess," Lorelai replied, then wondered at her daughter's expression. "What is it?"

"What did she want?"

Lorelai shrugged, "Just wanted to say hi, I guess."

Rory looked unconvinced, but simply said, "Okay then."

_Wonder what that look was about?_ Lorelai thought, finishing off her Red Bull. She turned to notice that the coffee was done, smiling as she grabbed a cup from the shelf above the stove. _Coffee time!_

(GG)

Rory lay on her bed, losing herself in her homework, when a knock at the door caught her attention.

"I'll get it," Lorelai called out from the living room. Rory heard Lorelai greet somebody and usher them inside, then her mother said to her. "Rory, you have company."

_Who the heck could it be?_ Rory wondered, getting up from her bed. She came to a dead stop when she noticed that the unexpected visitor was none other than Jessica Mariano, the source of her recent troubles.

"Hey, Ror," Jess smiled. "Long time no see."

"What are you doing here?" Rory asked, a little harsher than she had meant to. The other girl's face dropped a little at that.

"I thought you wanted to hang out?" Jess asked, confused.

Rory just shook her head.

"I'll just go then," Jess said, turning to leave.

Rory sighed, grabbing her sleeve. "No, wait. I'm sorry. Just feeling a little off as of late."

"Uh, if you don't feel like you're up to-"

"What do you have in mind?" Rory asked, cutting her off.

Jess grinned, "There's a movie playing at that little theatre near the dance studio."

"I'll get my coat," Rory said, turning back to her bedroom.

"I can wait."

Rory grabbed her jacket from her closet, then rejoined Jess in the foyer.

"All set?" Jess asked as Rory slipped her shoes on.

"Let's go," Rory nodded, shouting over her shoulder. "I'm heading out, Mom!"

"Have fun!" Lorelai yelled back.

"So you know what's playing?" Rory asked when they reached the sidewalk.

"The Princess Bride," Jess replied, setting a brisk pace. "I think."

Rory smiled, though she was struggling to keep up with the other girl. "That's one of my favorite movies."

"Mine, too," Jess agreed, glancing over at her. "I think I've watched it close to six or seven times."

"That's it?" Rory snorted, unimpressed. "Mom and I must have watched it over a dozen times each."

"Anyway, it started like five minutes ago, so hurry it up, slow poke," Jess smirked, increasing her already quick pace.

"Oh, you suck," Rory muttered, though there was a smile on her lips when she said it.

The two arrived at their destination in short order, bought their tickets and took the only two remaining seats, which were situated at the back of the darkened theartre. They removed their coats before getting comfortable.

"I'm going to grab us some drinks and popcorn," Jess rasped to her, leaning towards Rory. "I'll be right back."

"Okay," Rory nodded before turning attention to the screen.

"This is one of my favorite parts," Jess whispered to Rory when she returned, handing her a drink.

Rory smiled at the other girl, whose gaze was transfixed forward as Inigo Montoya and the Man In Black did battle on the screen before them. As the film played and Jess watched in obvious fascination, Rory observed the other girl's features and soon found herself unable to pull her eyes from her. She wanted to reach over, run her hands through Jess' hair. She imagined running her fingers across her jawline, down her neck and along her collarbone, which was mostly bare because of the loose collared shirt Jess had chosen to wear. Rory found her so beautiful right then that it hurt her to think about it. Forcing her eyes away, Rory turned her attention back to the movie playing ahead of her and tried to ignore the ache in her chest.

_Miranda's a lucky girl,_ Rory thought morosely, remembering that Jess was no longer available. Her mood was suddenly soured by thoughts darker than the theartre she now sat in, the girl sitting beside her apparently unaware of the anguish Rory was now feeling.

(GG)

"So what do you want to do now?" Jess asked as they left the theatre, glancing over at Rory.

"I don't know," Rory shrugged, her eyes cast downward.

_Oh, no,_ Jess thought with concern. Lorelai had warned her that Rory was in a funk lately, but Jess didn't realize just how bad it seemed to be. Sure, Rory seemed fine when they had first started out, but Jess had noticed her mood shift sometime during the movie. Jess didn't quite know what to do, so she blurted out the first thing that popped into her head.

"Let's hit the arcade," Jess suggested.

"What?" Rory asked in surprise, caught completely off guard.

"I hear they just got 'Dance, Dance Revolution'," Jess smirked, grabbing the other girl by the cuff of her jacket.

"I don't know," Rory said, unsure. "I don't dance very well."

"Well, my mad skills will make up for your spazziness," Jess tugged, practically dragging her across the square. "It'll be fun. I swear."

"What do you swear on?" Rory asked, reluntantly allowing herself to pulled along.

"What do you mean?" Jess asked back, quirking an eyebrow. The two girls came to a dead stop near the gazebo.

"If I agree to come," Rory said, tilting her head slightly to the side. "What assurances do I have that it'll be fun?"

"I swear on my love of all things Chow Yun Fat that you'll have fun," Jess raised her right hand, like a boy scout would do.

"That's quite the promise," Rory nodded, knowing how much Jess loved that particular movie star and his films.

"Are we in agreement?"

"Yes, we are," Rory nodded again, smiling at her.

"Then let's go dance," Jess smiled back, glad that she'd once again raised the other girl's spirits.

(GG)

"Where did you learn to dance like that?" Rory asked with a laugh.

Jess smirked, "It's all God given talent, I guess."

"You totally kicked butt on that game," she replied, walking beside Jess as they walked back to Rory's house.

"It was just a game," Jess shrugged. "It's not nearly as hard as ballet."

"Ballet?"

Jess winced, like it was something she hadn't meant to divulge.

"You were in ballet?" Rory asked with interest.

"Yeah," Jess nodded, sighing. "Back when I was younger."

"Wow," Rory murmured, stopping.

"Don't mock me," Jess muttered, kicking a loose stone down the sidewalk.

"I'm not mocking," Rory assured her. "I really am impressed."

"Really?" Jess asked, glancing back at her.

"Yeah," Rory nodded.

"Okay then," Jess replied before resuming on their way.

"I used to take ballet," Rory confessed a moment later. "But I completely sucked at it, so I quit."

"I don't believe that," Jess replied. "I can't see you sucking at anything."

"I really did," Rory chuckled. "I was so bad at it."

"Hmph," Jess snorted, smirking at her.

"So this is me," Rory stated, turning to Jess as they reached the edge of her front yard.

"I guess this is goodnight then, huh?" Jess quirked an eyebrow, her hands stuffed into her pockets.

"I guess it is," Rory nodded, then found herself moving forward. She stepped up against Jess, moving to kiss her when the headlights from a passing vehicle forced Rory to lean back on her heels. She looked at the other girl's perplexed expression, as Jess obviously didn't quite know what to make of what had just happened. Or rather, what had almost happened, as it were.

"Well, uh," Jess stammered a little as she stepped back. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight," Rory whispered as Jess turned and left her standing by herself.

**End scene.**

**You know what to do, so get reviewing. Thanks.**


	18. Sweet Surrender

18 - Sweet Surrender

"My hand hurts," Lorelai whined, playing with her bandage again.

"Well, that will teach you to try to fix something beyond your abilities," Rory sighed, shoving her hands into the pockets of her Chilton blazer. "What were you thinking when you went up there anyway? We could've hired a professional or something, you know? Or we could've gotten Luke to look at it."

"Professionals cost money and Luke's been rather busy with diner stuff and his looking out for Jess," Lorelai returned, lightly tugging on a loose piece of gauze as they walked towards the diner. Rory's mind wandered at the mention of Jess, remembering the last time she and the other girl had spent together. The night had been fantastic until that last moment, where Rory made a move to kiss Jess, which probably confused the hell out of her. She vaguely heard her mother rambling on to herself about how she had felt like wonder woman and such. "Oh, what if the rain gutters gave me super powers?"

"What?" Rory asked, confused.

Lorelai sighed, "Seriously, Rory. While I've been rather enjoying your return for Melancholy Lane, you've been spacing out a lot more than usual. What's up?"

Rory snorted, "Nothing much, just thinking."

"About Dean?" Lorelai ventured.

"Sure, why not?" Rory shrugged, deciding to let her mother believe what she wanted to believe.

"So, you guys good?" Lorelai asked, her concern for her daughter over-riding her usual dramatics over injurying herself. "You know, since your-"

"-freak out after the Firelight Festival?" Rory finished, glancing over at her mother.

"Yeah, that," she nodded. "Have you guys spoken since, you know?"

"No, but I plan to soon," Rory answered, shaking her head. "One way or another-"

"I'm gonna getcha, getcha, getcha," Lorelai interupted in a sing-song tone.

"Okay, not talking to you anymore," Rory rolled her eyes, increasing her footspeed to outpace her mother.

"No, come back," Lorelai begged, following after her. "Please, Rory. Don't abandon, Mommy. She loves you."

(GG)

"Aw, man," Rory griped, pulling her jacket off.

"What is it?" Lorelai asked, sitting down across from her.

"Caesar's cooking," Rory said, pointing out Luke's cook out with a gesture of her chin.

"No," Lorelai groaned, looking back and forth for Luke. "Where's Luke? We need him to make the fluffy pancakes for his injured-"

"Potential girlfriend?" Rory teased.

"Hush you," Lorelai chided. "Can't you see I'm injured here? No teasing."

"Suppose he's upstairs?"

"Where else would he be on a friday morning?"

"Good point," Rory nodded.

They sat in silence before Lorelai finally decided to get up from her seat to do something about it.

"Where are you going?" Rory asked.

"Getting us our fluffy pancakes," Lorelai replied before heading past the curtain walkway and up the stairs. She knocked on the glass, stepping back in surprise when a frazzled looking Luke answered the door, a girly ankle sock draped on his shoulder.

"What are you doing up here?" He asked, a confused expression on his face.

"I came up here so I could get you to come down and make me and Rory breakfast," Lorelai answered, taking the girly sock from his shoulder and holding it up. "Is this yours?'

"Why not just have Caeser make your breakfast?" Luke asked, grabbing the sock and flinging it over his shoulder.

"Because he doesn't make the sexy, fluffy pancakes like you do," Lorelai replied, then held her bandaged hand up. "Come on," she pouted. "I need you to do this, because I went through a traumatic experience this morning and only you can make it better."

"What happened to your hand?" He asked, pointing at the bandage.

"My rain gutters attacked me," Lorelai shrugged. "Can I come in?"

Luke sighed, "Come in."

"Thanks, Luke," Lorelai smiled, entering the apartment. She stopped suddenly though, flabbergasted at the disaster area that lay before her. "Wow," she marvelled, taking it all in. "This is exactly how I imagined the inside of my head to look like."

"I'm looking for my supply ledger," Luke stated, ignoring her comment. "It's leather bound and brown. Help me find it."

"This place is a sty," Lorelai said, glancing at all the open boxes and strewn about clothing in wonder. "How can you hope to find anything in this?"

"The sooner you help me find my supply ledger, the faster I go downstairs to make your pancakes," Luke grumbled, giving her an annoyed look.

"I thought you had Jess and her friend organize everything last weekend," Lorelai stated a moment later, flipping a box lid open to find nothing but books inside. _Nope, that's not the ledger._

"I did, but then Jess decided that she needed to find a certain something last night and didn't bother cleaning up after herself when she found it," Luke explained, then gestured at the mess. "Hence, we have our very own re-creation of the 'Sanford and Son' set up here, except Jess is playing the female version of Lamont!"

"Doesn't that make you Redd Foxx?" Lorelai asked with a grin.

Luke glared at her, "Will you be quiet and help me find my ledger?"

"Then you'll make my pancakes?" Lorelai asked. Seeing as this was the first time since the Firelight Festival that Rory had agreed to join her anywhere besides to Chilton and Friday Night Diner, Lorelai was rather excited by the prospect. Annoying Luke was just a fringe benefit at this point.

"Yes, then I'll make your pancakes," Luke sighed.

"I'm going to hold you to that," Lorelai grinned, noticing a brown leather object sticking out from between two boxes. She grabbed the edge and yanked it out, holding it up in the air. "Bingo!"

"Oh, good," Luke breathed out in relief, reaching for it. Lorelai yanked it back just out of his grasp, earning a glare from him. "Give me the ledger, Lorelai."

"Give me the pancakes, Lucas," Lorelai smirked, taking a step backwards.

Luke narrowed his eyes, then quickly made another grab at the ledger. Lorelai tried to take another step back as Luke lunged forward, but the back of her knee hit the edge of Jess' bed and sent them both sprawling across it. Luke landed on top of her, the springs creaking loudly under their combined weight.

"You okay?" Luke asked a moment later, looking down at her with concern.

"I'm fine," Lorelai whispered, her playfulness from before gone. She stared into his blue eyes, feeling herself getting lost in them. _All I have to do is lean forward,_ Lorelai thought, licking her lips. _And we'll see if the town is right about...us._

"Ah, jeez, you two," Jess yelled in surprise from the other end of the apartment, having just exitted the bathroom. "Of all the places you guys pick to finally hook up, did it have to be on my bed?"

Luke pushed himself up and off the bed quickly, pulling Lorelai up with ease as well.

"That wasn't what it looked like," Lorelai said, running her hands over her sweater to straighten it out. She nudged Luke with her elbow, who seemed to be too embarassed to do anything other than just stand there.

"Yeah, Lorelai just fell over and dragged me along for the ride," Luke explained after a second, slightly harder nudge from Lorelai.

"Whatever," Jess rolled her eyes with a smirk, walking past the embarrassed adults. "Just don't finish up on my bed, okay? I have to sleep there, you know."

"That was awkward," Lorelai stated when Jess had left.

"Yeah," Luke agreed, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Now, about those pancakes?" Lorelai asked after an awkward silence, grabbing the ledger from where it had fallen beside the bed. She held it out to him.

"Thanks," Luke nodded, grasping the ledger. "Go, I'll be right down."

"Okay," Lorelai nodded back, turning around and making her exit.

"What's the verdict?" Rory asked as Lorelai stepped out from behind the curtain.

"Mission accomplished," Lorelai announced in an overly cheerful tone, rejoining her daughter at the table after coming downstairs.

"Good, because I was starting to get really hungry and I only have about a half hour left before the bus arrives," Rory replied, sipping her cup of coffee.

"Where did these come from?" Lorelai asked, looking down at the cup in front of her.

"They were here when I came back from the washroom," Rory shrugged, adjusting the collar of her uniform. "So I assume that Caesar poured them while I was away."

"Okay then," Lorelai replied, turning her focus away from her daughter to Luke, who was heading behind the counter. _If Jess had only waited thirty seconds before leaving that washroom,_ Lorelai thought, watching as Luke disappeared into the kitchen. _Would I have gone through with it? Would I have kissed Luke?_

"Mom?"

"Yeah?" Lorelai responded, glancing over at a concerned looking Rory.

"You okay?"

"I'm fine, Babe," Lorelai smiled softly, glancing back towards the kitchen. "I'm fine."

(GG)

"Take a picture, it lasts longer!" Lane snapped at a passing fellow student, who'd been gawking at her. She was getting really annoyed by how everybody seemed so surprised to see her back in school.

"Settle down there, Laney," Jess said, walking towards her in front of the lockers.

"Oh, thank God," Lane moaned, walking forward and hugging her friend. "A sane person. Oh, how I've missed you, my dear Jessica!"

"I missed you, too," Jess gasped in surprise, squirming uncomfortably as other students passed by with weird expressions on their faces. Jess greeted them in her usual flippant way, which was another thing that Lane had missed during her Mama Kim imposed confinement. "Hey, how you doing?"

"You wouldn't believe how freaking bored I got cooped up in that house for so long," Lane cried, hugging her friend as hard as she could. She had to make sure that Jess was actually there, with her, after all.

"Oxygen becoming an issue, Laney," Jess rasped, patting Lane on the back as the asian girl proceded to squeeze the life from her.

"Just wanna make sure your not some boredom enduced illusion," Lane explained, still hanging on for dear life.

"Get off, you psycho," Jess laughed, wrestling out of her grasp.

"Sorry," Lane apologized, straightening her clothes in an exaggerated fashion. "Just been stuck indoors without human contact, so I've kinda forgotten how to act around normal people."

"What about Mama Kim?" Jess asked, confused.

"Like I said, no contact with normal people," Lane stated.

"Anyhow, what exactly did Mama say you had that made the school board allow her to keep you home for two weeks?" Jess asked, looping her arm through hers before leading Lane towards Biology class. "Because I doubt that Principal Saunders would actually excuse you from school for not telling Mama about your boyfriend, right?"

"I honestly don't know what she told them I had, but I do know the words 'highly contagious' were used to describe it."

"Andromeda Strain, maybe?"

"Maybe," Lane shrugged.

"So what's the deal with Henry?" Jess asked, not having the whole story about what had happened after the auction. "You guys really done?"

"Oh, yeah," Lane nodded, a little choked. "When a guy tells you that he's taking another girl to his prom, that usually signifies the end of the relationship."

"What a dick," Jess stated.

"Yeah, well," Lane sighed, then glanced at her. "Anyway, did anything new happen with you? Well, besides that red head you were hanging out with, I mean?"

"How'd you-" Jess began, then stopped. "Right, binoculars."

"Yup," Lane confirmed with a nod. "Now, back to my question."

"Nothing really happened," Jess replied, turning the corner without unlocking arms with Lane. "Miranda came to visit, then she left. End of story."

"Liar," Lane smirked, stopping her friend just short of the classroom door. "Tell me. Is this Miranda an old flame, or what?"

"Me? With Miranda?" Jess scoffed, shaking her head in amusement. "Like I'd ever step into that particular minefield!"

"So I take it that Miranda isn't your-"

"Ex-girlfriend?" Jess finished, then shook her head. "Not even close."

"Ex-girlfriend?" Dean asked, showing up suddenly beside them. "What are you guys talking about?"

"Nothing," Lane said, slipping her arm back through her friend's arm. "Just heading into Bio."

"Hey, Beanstalk," Jess smirked, taunting the tall boy as per usual. "Nice game you guys played on Sunday."

"We lost," Dean frowned in confusion.

"No," Jess shook her head. "You guys were schlacked. 10 to 2? Did you guys even have a goalie?"

"You think you're funny, don't you?" Dean retorted, giving Jess a half-hearted glare.

"I think I'm adorable," Jess smiled, hitching her shoulders up for a split second. "Don't you think I'm adorable, Lane?"

"Oh, boy," Lane muttered, rolling her eyes at them. _Every damn time._

"I don't know why I bother trying to talk to you some days," Dean sighed before making his way past them and into the classroom.

"Maybe you're a masochist?" Jess called out after him.

"Why do you do that?" Lane asked, though she already knew the answer. _Rory._

"It's fun," Jess shrugged, then added. "That and he makes it so damn easy, that I can't help myself."

"Let's head inside," Lane suggested, leading her friend into Biology class.

"Do my eyes deceive me?" Miss Roberts asked, looking up from her desk. "Or has Lane Kim really returned to us?"

Lane rolled her eyes as the class chuckled at her. "Present."

"Take a seat you two," Miss Roberts ordered, then added in her usual no nonsense tone. "But not together."

"What?" Lane and Jess asked in unison.

"I know how best friends, especially young ladies such as yourselves, like to gossip when they've been apart for a long period of time," the teacher explained, glancing at them over her glasses knowingly. "So seperate, please. Lane, sit with Miss Fertman at the back. Miss Mariano, please take the seat beside Mr. Forester."

"You have got to be shitting me," Jess mumbled.

"What was that, Jessica?" Miss Roberts asked. "I didn't quite hear what you said. Would you mind repeating yourself?"

"Nevermind, it wasn't important," Jess muttered, walking over to join Dean.

_That has got to be hell for both of them,_ Lane smirked as Jess and Dean were forced to pair up, neither looking particularly happy with the situation. _I think everybody knows that they don't exactly like each other._ She tilted her head sideways, studying them as they tried to ignore each other._ They'd make a cute couple though,_ Lane thought, then pursed her lips in reconsideration. _That is if they weren't in love with the same girl, I suppose._

(GG)

"Have you ever considered... crossing the street?" Rory asked out of nowhere, startling Paris with the randomness of the question.

"That depends," Louise replied, taking a sip from her coke.

"On what?"

"On whatever the hell you're talking about," Madeline answered, stabbing her fork into her salad. She studied the cherry tomato she had just stabbed momentarily, then popped it into her mouth.

"What Maddy said," Louise pointed casually with her own fork, following her best friend's action immediately afterward.

"She's asking if any of us have ever considered joining the ranks of KD Lang, Ellen Degeneres, and Sophie B. Hawkins," Paris clarified before taking a sip from her juice box, glancing at Rory. "Right?"

"Yeah, I guess that's what I'm asking," Rory nodded, then asked. "Wait a second. Sophie B. Hawkins is gay?"

"I assume so," Paris shrugged, placing her now empty juice box down on the table. "But I'm just taking the lyrics of 'Damn, I Wish I was Your Lover' into consideration here, so there is every possiblity that I could be wrong. Though I sincerely doubt it."

"Anyhow," Rory said, giving Paris that 'you're insane' look she gave her every now and then. "Back to my question. Madeline? Louise?"

"Been there, done that," Louise waved dismissively. "Found I like guys better."

"I've always wondered what it would be like," Madeline said, then quickly added. "But then again, I've always wondered what Antarctica would be like, you know? So I doubt it'll ever happen." She glanced over at Paris. "How about you, Paris? Ever think of making it with a girl?"

"No, I've never really thought about it before," Paris shook her head, then fixed a questioning glance over to Rory. "Why do you ask that anyway, Gilmore?"

"No reason," Rory sighed, looking away. "Just wondering, is all."

"Huh," Paris grunted, not buying that answer for one second. She'd known Rory long enough to know when she was hiding something, and Gilmore was definitely hiding something. She noticed that Rory was no longer wearing that charm bracelet she usually wore anymore. Now that she thought about it, Paris realized that Gilmore hadn't been wearing it for quite some time. She didn't really know what to make of this new information, but Paris knew it meant something. It had to. She glanced over as Rory gazed out the window, her mind obviously far, far away from Chilton.

_What are you hiding, Gilmore?_

(GG)

"Mom, I'm home," Rory called out, entering the house. She walked into her room and threw her book bag on the floor near the foot of her bed. Changing out of her uniform and into regular clothes, Rory suddenly realized that her mother had yet to respond to her and walked into the living room to find it empty.

"Mom?" Rory called out again. "You home?"

When she got no answer, Rory decided to check her mother's room. _Maybe she's taking a nap?_ Rory thought, only to find the room empty. She shook her head before walking back downstairs, pressing the play button on the machine on her way into the kitchen.

"Hey, Babe," her mom's voice rang out. "Since you seemed to have forgotten your cellphone at home this morning, I'm leaving you this message to tell you that I'm stuck at work until six o'clock, at the earliest. So I was thinking that maybe you could call your grandparents and inform them that we're going to be late for dinner? Okay, love you. Bye."

_That should go over well ,_ Rory snorted, opening the fridge and grabbing a bottled water._ Grandma will just love that, won't she?_

"Lorelai, this is your mother," Emily's voice came out from the machine.

"Speak of the devil," Rory smirked before taking a swig from the water bottle.

"I hate talking to this machine," Emily sighed in disgust. "Anyway, Lorelai, I am phoning you to inform you that Friday night dinner is cancelled this week. Your father and I have been invited to a gala being hosted by the Hendersons at the last moment, and we are unable to get out of this engagement. So please inform Rory and we'll see you girls next week. Take care."

"And that takes care of that," Rory chuckled, sitting down on the couch.

"Hey, Lorelai," Luke's voice followed, his tone awkward as it always was whenever he left a message. "This is Luke. Just calling to tell you that I'll be sending Jess over tomorrow to help you with those clogged rain gutters. Can't have them attacking you again. Call me or just come in tonight, and we'll go over the details, though I really don't see what more we could say about it. Seeing as I pretty much summed the whole damn thing up from my last sentance there. Okay, I'm shutting up now. Bye."

_Okay, that was just weird,_ Rory frowned in confusion. _Even for Luke._

She chuckled again, but froze when the next message began to play.

"Rory," Dean said, his voice strained. "Um, I know you said you wanted some space, and I respect that after what happened and all, but-" He stopped, taking an audible breath before continuing. "I miss you. That's all I really wanted to say, I guess. Just call me when you're ready, okay? Bye."

Rory rubbed her forehead, the guilt she'd shoved aside taking center stage once more.

"End of messages," the machine stated.

"Shut up, you," Rory muttered at the machine. She took a deep breath before deciding that things couldn't go on like this any longer. Something had to be done, and it had to be done soon. She glanced at the small digital clock sitting on the coffee table, reading the red colored numbers that showed it was fourteen after five. Rory took a deep breath before rising from the couch, gathering her courage to do something she really didn't want to do.

"Aren't I the little heartbreaker?" Rory asked herself with bitterness. She grabbed her jacket and headed out the door, making her way to the center of town.

(GG)

Jess looked at herself in the mirror, tilting her head to the right, then to the left before nodding in satisfaction. She glanced at her watch, noting that it was nearly 5:30.

"Almost time to get to work," Jess muttered aloud, walking out of the washroom to make her way downstairs. She was halfway out the apartment door when she noticed Rory coming up the stairs towards her, a determined expression on the other girl's face.

"Hi," Jess greeted, smiling warmly at her.

"No," Rory shook her head, pushing past Jess into the apartment. "You cannot be happy to see me. I don't want you to be happy to see me. It'll just make what I have to say that much harder."

Jess quirked an eyebrow, not really knowing what to say to that. "Okay."

Rory, obviously flustered, began pacing back and forth in the small space near Jessica's bed, gesturing wildly in the process.

"I can't take this anymore," Rory cried, her pacing starting to make Jess a little dizzy. "I don't know what to do. You make me feel things I'm not supposed to feel. Things I can't let myself feel. You're a girl, for God's sake!"

"What?"

"And then there's Dean to consider, who's been so sweet. He's an incredibly nice guy, who doesn't deserved to be treated the way I've been treating him," Rory stopped pacing, giving Jess the most earnest expression she had ever seen. "Do you see what I'm trying to say here?"

Jess shook her head, "Not really."

Rory sighed, licking her lips before starting again. "What I'm trying to say is," she said, pausing to gather her courage. "I can't be your friend anymore. Things have gotten too weird, too complicated."

"Ror-"

"Whatever this is, or was," Rory continued, looking directly into Jess' eyes. "I'm putting an end to it. It's over."

Jess leaned back against her dresser as Rory walked out the door, feeling like the girl had just punched her in the stomach and knocked the wind out of her. A half moment later, the door opened again and Rory walked straight toward her.

"Wha-" Jess began to say before Rory's lips crashed against hers, the other girl's fingers curling into her hair. Rory gently pushed her against the dresser, moaning into her mouth as the kiss deepened. Jess found herself returning the moan in kind, her tongue entering Rory's mouth to dance with hers. Jess switched their positions, pinning Rory against the wall and pulling away for a split second before resuming the impromptu makeout session. Jess allowed Rory to guide them towards the bed a moment later, where she had discovered Luke and Lorelai that morning, and gently pushed Jess onto it before following her.

They kissed for several moments until Jess pushed her back, looking deeply into her eyes.

"What?" Rory asked, her breathing heavy and her lips full.

"If you're fucking with my head again," Jess replied, running her fingers through the other girl's hair. "I'm going to kick your ass."

"Duly noted," Rory nodded before pulling her into another fierce kiss, her right hand finding its way under Jess' shirt. Rory caressed her abs, sending a million tiny jolts across her stomach.

"That feels so good," Jess groaned as Rory began kissing her neck, her breath catching as the other girl's hand had moved upward towards her breasts. They stopped then with Rory giving Jess an uncertain expression, to which she nodded, as if giving the blue eyed beauty permission to continue her actions. Rory smiled and drew Jess into another kiss, her hand sliding under the sportsbra that Jess was wearing.

"Hey, Jess," Luke called out suddenly, knocking on the glass of the apartment door. "What's taking you so long?"

"Oh, shit," Jess and Rory whispered in unison.

**End scene.**

**Review after reading.**

**References :**

**Sanford & Son - A 70's sitcom starring Redd Foxx, which was about an old man living with his adult son, where they ran a junkyard together.**

**Andromeda Strain - A novel (and later a pair of films) by Michael Crichton about an extraterrestrial disease.**


	19. A Sequence of Awkward Moments

19 - A Sequence of Awkward Moments

"Hey, Jess," Luke called out, knocking on the apartment door. "What's taking you so long?"

"Oh, shit," Jess and Rory rasped at the same time. Rory glanced at the door then met the other girl's gaze, seeing the panic she felt reflected back at her in those beautiful brown eyes. She could feel Jess' rapidly beating heart under her hand, matching the thumping in her own chest. Both of their breathing was ragged, which wasn't surprising since they had spent the last several minutes making out.

"Jess?" Luke called out again, the unmistakeable sound of a turning doorknob reaching their ears.

"Don't come in!" Jess shrieked as Rory rolled off her and landed onto the floor with a barely audible thump.

"Why the hell not?" Luke asked as Jess jumped up from the bed to bar the door with her body.

"Because I'm just in my bra," Jess lied, pushing the door closed on an entering Luke. "I'll be down in a few."

"You mean to tell me that you're still not ready?" Luke asked, sounding annoyed.

"Just shut up and go downstairs," Jess said, smirking back at Rory. She stiffled a giggle, which made Jess cringe.

"What was that?" Luke asked through the door.

"Um, gas?" Jess asked back, turning to Rory with her index finger held up to her lips. Rory grabbed the nearest pillow and buried her face in it, unintentionally breathing in Jess' now all too familiar perfume. Her laughter died instantly as Rory became intoxicated by the scent, losing herself in the moment. It made her feel, for lack of a better word, euphoric.

"Rory?"

"Hmm?"

"You okay?"

A kneeling Rory glanced up to find Jess giving her a weird look. "What?"

"You're smelling my pillow, you freak," Jess smirked down at her.

"I was?"

"It was like you were auditioning for a Snuggle commercial," Jess teased.

Rory wrinkled her nose, stating matter-of-factly. "The teddy bear in those commercials gives me the creeps."

"I know," Jess nodded in agreement, sitting down on the bed near her. "Me, too."

"So..."

"So..." Jess parroted, licking her lips as a clear indication to Rory that she was worried.

"We kissed," Rory looked Jess in the eye, a small smile on her lips.

"Again," Jess added.

"Yeah," Rory looked down, too shy to maintain her gaze.

"You're not going to run away again, are you?"

Rory looked up again, shaking her head. "No more running."

"Really?"

"Really," Rory assured, placing her hand over the other girl's. "But there's still something I've got to take care of."

Jess sighed knowingly, "I know."

"Yeah," Rory affirmed, her gaze shifting downward again as her guilt took hold once more. _Dean._

"Are you sure about this, Ror?" Jess asked, gripping her hand tightly. "I don't want you to do this unless yo-"

"I'm sure," Rory answered quickly, then added. "I just don't... don't like to hurt-"

"I know, Rory. I don't think anybody likes doing that," Jess nodded, running her thumb along Rory's index finger. "Just don't..."

"Don't what?" Rory asked, wondering at her strained tone.

"Don't change your mind, okay?" Jess pleaded, meeting her gaze again.

Rory didn't know what to say, so she did the only thing she could think of doing. She kissed Jess with everything she could muster, which threatened to escalate before Jess gently pushed her away by the shoulders, both of their breathing ragged once more.

"I won't," Rory promised, her voice barely above a whisper. Jess averted her gaze quickly, but Rory had caught it. The doubt that lay there in those hazel depths, the desperation of somebody who'd been hurt one too many times. She cupped the other girl's face in her hands, forcing Jess to look her in the eye. "I won't," she repeated, letting her hands drop onto Jess' thighs a moment later.

"I have to get to work," Jess rasped a moment later, looking away again.

"And I have to go tell my mom that friday night dinner is cancelled," Rory replied, standing up.

"I'll see you later?" Jess asked, following her to the door.

Rory took her hand and gave her a smile, then kissed her again. "Yes, you will," she promised.

"Okay," Jess smile back, letting her hand go. Rory gave Jess one last peck before leaving.

Rory stepped out the door, a smile on her face as she made her way downstairs. As happy as she was right at that moment, Rory knew she would have to prove herself to Jess somehow. She could tell by the look in the other girl's eyes that Jess was still skeptical, not quite ready to believe that this was really happening. Rory couldn't blame Jess for thinking that way though, since Rory herself had been in deep denial for the last five months. But Rory now knew what she wanted. Or rather, who she wanted.

She just wished Dean didn't have to get hurt in the process.

(GG)

Lorelai had just stepped into Luke's to find her daughter coming from behind the curtain, a little smile pasted on Rory's face as she walked around the counter to glance up in surprise at her mother.

"Hey, Babe," Lorelai greeted, walking over to join her daughter. "Where you coming from?"

"Just returning a book I borrowed from Jess," Rory replied, then gestured to the two nearest stools at the counter for them to sit.

"Which book?" Lorelai asked after sitting down next to her daughter.

"Um, I forget," Rory answered, doing that eye thing she did whenever she lied.

"Okay, what happened between you two now?" Lorelai asked, suspicious of Rory's strange behavior.

"Uh, I don't know what you're talking about," Rory denied, averting her gaze.

"Rory," Lorelai chided.

"Hey, you two," Luke greeted, pen and paper pad in hand.

"Oh, thank God that you're here, Luke," Rory breathed, then pointed at Lorelai. "Please save me from my mother's interrogation."

"Lorelai, leave Rory alone," Luke deadpanned.

"Hey," Lorelai frowned.

"Thanks, Luke," Rory grinned. "You're the best!"

"Whatever," Luke rolled his eyes. "What can I get you guys?"

Lorelai was just about to answer when she caught sight of Jess, who had just entered the diner from behind the curtain and had stopped dead in her tracks to stare at Rory. Lorelai glanced over at Rory, who was staring back just as intently. Lorelai frowned in confusion, wondering what this standoff was all about.

"Hi," Jess greeted finally.

"Hi," Rory returned.

"Hi," Lorelai piped in.

"Hi," Jess replied.

"Hi," Luke greeted, joining in the confusing merry-go-round.

"Hi," Jess waved at her uncle.

"Hi?" Luke asked uncertain, giving Lorelai a confused glance.

"Hello," Lorelai chirped at him.

"What?" Jess and Luke asked at the same time, both looking a little thrown off to Lorelai.

"Just thought I'd mix it up a little," Lorelai shrugged.

"Anyhow," Jess rolled her eyes, turning to Luke. "I've, um, gotta go grab something at Doose's."

"You're ten minutes late for your shift, and you want to take off on a personal errand?" Luke asked, incredulous.

"It's for feminine prod-"

"Please don't finish that sentence," Luke cut in, then gestured for her to go.

"Thanks, Uncle Luke," Jess said, slapping him on the shoulder before heading to the door. She stopped after opening the door, leaning back and holding the door while zipping her jacket up. "Bye," Jess said, turning around as the door shut after her.

"Bye," Rory parroted in a whipered tone so low that Lorelai had barely caught it, watching as the other girl walked away from the diner with a hurried step.

"What the hell was that all about?" Luke asked, not knowing that Lorelai was about to ask Rory the very same question.

"I, uh, gotta go to the washroom," Rory awkwardly declared, getting up from her stool to make her escape. Lorelai watched as her daughter walked towards the washrooms, only to stifle a giggle when Rory stumbled into the back table while walking around another patron, who Lorelai noticed was Gypsy. The entire diner looked over at the sudden noise, which just caused Rory to blush deeply before heading into her destination.

"What's with her?" Luke asked.

"I have no idea," Lorelai muttered, that now all too familiar feeling of being shut out of her daughter's life filling her chest.

"You okay?"

"I'm fine," Lorelai lied.

Luke turned around to grab a mug and proceeded to pour coffee into it, seeming to know exactly what Lorelai needed right now.

"Thank you," Lorelai said, looking up at him as Luke placed the coffee in front of her.

"No problem," Luke nodded, their eyes meeting for a quick moment. "I'll bring you guys some cheeseburgers, okay?"

"And chili fries as well?"

"Of course," Luke replied, turning around to head into the kitchen.

As Luke walked away, Lorelai couldn't help but smile at him. _He really does look out for me, doesn't he?_

(GG)

Dean let out a breath before resuming his current task, which happened to be the sorting, pricing and stacking of the items from his cart onto the shelves. It wasn't particularly busy at that moment, so it was about the only thing Dean could think of doing. He was slightly relieved that it was fairly dead in the market right then though because he really did need something to do that would distract him, because once he stopped his thoughts would inevitably return to Rory. He turned the corner into the next aisle where he spotted Todd walking towards him.

"Hey," Dean greeted his friend.

"Dude," Todd returned, smiling his dopey smile. "There's a party over at Janie's tonight. Wanna hit it with me?"

"I don't know, man," Dean replied, furrowing his brow. "I'm not really in the mood for a party."

"Come on, Deano," Todd pressed, grabbing his shoulder in an amiable fashion. "It'll do ya some good. Maybe get your mind off you-know-who, if just for a little while, huh?"

Dean sighed, knowing that Todd was only trying to help him. _Maybe I should check it out, just to shut him up._

"Is that Jessie Mariano?" Todd asked suddenly, glancing over his friend's shoulder.

"Don't be calling her that to her face, buddy," Dean warned, following Todd's gaze.

"Why not?'

"She'll kick your head in."

"Well, if that's what it takes to get some-" Todd began, his hand dropping from Dean's shoulder.

"Please, I'm literally begging you not to finish that sentence," Dean interupted, rolling his eyes.

"She is so hot," Todd stated, not for the first time since Jess had arrived in Stars Hollow.

"I guess," Dean shrugged, turning his back to her so that he could return to his job. "She's not really my type."

"You suppose I'm her's?" Todd asked, causing Dean to return his attention back to him.

"Her what?"

"Her type, man," Todd clarified, his eyes still transfixed on Jess. "Do you think I'm her type?"

"You know what?" Dean asked, more than a little annoyed by his friend's antics whenever Jess was near. "Why don't you just go and ask her out already? Because I'm kind of tired of you saying the same stuff about how hot she is, day in and day out, yet not do anything about it."

"Okay, I will," Todd nodded. "But only if you agree to come to the party tonight."

"Fine," Dean agreed, more so that Todd would shut up and go away already than anything else.

"Wish me luck," Todd said before following Jess out onto the street.

"Good luck," Dean muttered, returning to his job once more. _Finally!_

A quick moment passed by before Dean realized what Todd was intending to do, making him curious as to what the outcome would be. He put down the price gun and walked to the front door to see how his friend was progressing through the window, only to find an annoyed looking Jess frowning at a nervous Todd as they talked just on the corner. He couldn't hear what they were saying, but by the shocked and disappointed look on Todd's face, it was quite apparent that Jess had just shot him down.

_Might as well see how it went,_ Dean sighed, stepping through the door as a smirking Jess turned and began walking towards the diner.

"How'd it go?" Dean asked, joining a shell shocked Todd.

"Um, I got totally shut down, dude," Todd replied, blinking rapidly.

"Really?" Dean smirked, raising his eyebrows in amusement. "I would never have guessed."

"She said she's kind of seeing someone right now," Todd replied, scratching his head. "And when I asked who the lucky guy is, she said...um, uh-"

"She said?" Dean pressed, gesturing for his friend to continue.

"Uh, she said," Todd looked at him, the shocked look still plastered to his face. "What makes you think it's a guy?"

_Okay, that's little unexpected,_ Dean frowned, now sharing in his friend's shock. He wondered if Jess was serious though, or just screwing with Todd's head for kicks. One could never be too sure when it came to dealing with Jessica Mariano. The girl was just too damned unpredictable.

(GG)

Luke sat miserably in his chair, his arms crossed over his chest as he watched the tiny television on the table in front of him. He'd closed early on account of it being dead, and he had watched the Celtics get beat up by the Lakers after doing night time clean up. Then Lorelai had entered near the end of the fourth quarter to mock him, his tiny TV set, and the current living situation with his niece (who was doing God knows what upstairs at the moment). While she did make several good points on each subject, Luke would be damned if he was going to let Lorelai get the better of him this time.

"119 to 92," Luke sighed, grabbing the handle of the portable TV. "Why did they even bother? Maybe I should start cheering for another team? Maybe another sport? Maybe I'll start cheering for the Bruins."

Luke unplugged the TV and began heading toward the stairs, hearing his niece's music blaring with each step taken upward. _How can she concentrate on whatever she's doing with that crap on so loud?_ He wondered, reaching the door and entering the apartment with his portable TV set in hand.

"Jess?" Luke called out, turning the corner to find her fast asleep on Luke's bed. _Great, where am I supposed to sleep?_ Luke huffed, making his way over to where the source of the loud music was coming from. He placed the tiny TV down on top of a nearby box as he searched for the source of the blaring music, annoyed at how the seventeen year old girl had managed to completely take over the apartment with her crap. "How can anyone sleep to that?" He asked aloud, reaching between two boxes and shutting off the stereo after finally locating it. "It's like the Huns are attacking," he growled, and began gesturing as he spoke. "And of course, you're just laying there, oblivious as the rest of the world is going deaf!" Luke felt the back of his hand hit the portable TV, causing it to crash to the floor. "Great!"

"Rory," Jess moaned in her sleep, which caused Luke to glance over in confusion. _What's that about?_ Luke wondered before tripping over a box and landing on top of several other boxes in a heap.

"Damn it, damn it, damn it," Luke growled loudly, rising from where he'd fallen over. He began to throw clothes around in frustration, some of which would have horrified and embarrassed him if he wasn't so wound up at the moment to take notice.

"Whoa," Jess sat up groggily, her hair ruffled and messy as several items of clothing flew in the air. "What the hell?"

"I can't stand this. I'm going crazy," Luke ranted, waving his arms around. "This place is awful!" He pointed at Jess as she began rubbing the sleep from her eyes. "I can't live like this anymore."

"Would you relax?" Jess yawned, stretching like a cat.

"I can't relax. I can't sleep," Luke snapped, feeling himself getting more worked up by the second. "I'm having nightmares about being chased around the apartment by giant boxes with arms and they tackle me and start piling clothes on top of my face, then secure them around my head with packing tape. And while I'm lying there choking to death, you're sitting in the corner laughing your ass off at me!"

"Should I be calling Arkham right about now, because you're starting to sound a little batty," Jess replied, raising an eyebrow at him.

"We're moving," Luke declared, breathing heavily from his rant.

"Excuse me?"

"Tomorrow."

"What are you talking-"

"I'm talking about you and me going out, getting a paper, and finding a new place to live," Luke interupted, feeling like he was on a roll. It was one of the few times Luke had ever caught Jess off of her guard and he was going to use it to his advantage.

"But I have-" Jess began, her voice rising almost to a whine.

"No buts," Luke jumped in, continuing before Jess could somehow get her bearings in the conversation. "At ten o'clock tomorrow morning, I want you up, washed, and whatever the hell else you do in that bathroom to get ready because I have had enough of this crap. End of story."

"You are such a spaz," Jess stated before flopping backward onto the pillow.

"I'm going to take a shower," Luke said, stepping over strewn about clothes and boxes to make his way to the washroom. "I expect you to be sleeping in your own bed by the time I'm finished."

"Whatever," Jess mumbled, closing her eyes again.

"Jess!" He bellowed, causing the girl to jerk in surprise.

"Fine," she sighed, grabbing her pillow and books from the bed and heading to the other side of the apartment.

(GG)

"No," Jess snapped, stalking out of the apartment building with Luke on her heels. "I'm not living in that shithole!"

"Watch your damned language," Luke chided, catching up and falling into step with her. "And what was wrong with that one?"

"It's pink," she sneered.

"We'll paint it."

"You mean, I'll paint it," Jess snorted.

"No, I mean, we'll paint it," Luke sighed, his patience obviously as frayed as her own. "Together."

"Great," Jess snarked, rolling her eyes at him. "Then we can hold hands and skip afterwards."

"Fine," Luke sneered, his eyes downward at the paper in his hands. "Which one did you like?"

"The one before."

"The one with the two fridges?"

"No."

"The one before was the one with two fridges," Luke insisted, glancing up to look at her.

"No, the one before was the one with the cat," Jess corrected him, gesturing to get her point across.

"I hate cats," Luke stated, stopping in his tracks.

Jess stopped as well, frowning at him in annoyance. "I don't think the cat comes with the place, Lucas."

"But it has carpeting," he explained.

"So?"

"So it'll always smell like cat," he elaborated.

"Clean the carpet," Jess shrugged.

"Paint the apartment," Luke countered.

"Fine," she sighed, getting the feeling that this entire afternoon was becoming a futile exercise. "How about the one by the bank?"

"Too many windows," Luke said, once again shooting down a suggestion of hers.

"What?"

"Sunny day, three o'clock in the afternoon, we're sitting in an oven," Luke explained, which made sense to her. Of course, Jess wasn't about to give him any sort of credit for that, seeing as he'd shot down every single one of her suggestions since they began four hours ago. This whole ordeal was really beginning to piss her off.

"We'll buy curtains," Jess suggested, wondering how he'd dismiss this idea.

"You'll have to help me put them up," Luke retorted.

"Great," she sighed, turning around to resume walking. "Then we can hold hands and skip afterward."

"Stop saying that," Luke ordered, falling in step with her once more.

"You know what?" Jess said, her patience with the entire process meeting its end. "I don't care anymore. Just pick whatever one you want and I'll drag my shit over there when you're done."

"Jess," Luke pleaded.

"You're the one who wants to move," Jess ran a hand through her long locks of hair. "I'm perfectly fine where we are."

"So you like the way we're living right now, is that it?" Luke huffed, his arms just short of flailing about again. "No space, no privacy?"

"I got plenty of privacy," Jess smirked.

"That's because I'm the one sitting downstairs in a darkened diner, watching a two inch TV," Luke countered.

"You're the one with the problem," Jess pointed at him as they crossed the street. "So you make the choice."

"Come on," Luke pleaded again, like it would somehow make a difference.

"I've got to head to Lorelai's now anyway," Jess reminded him, then added. "Oh, and thanks for asking me if I wanted to clean her gutters by the way."

"I thought you could use the extra money," Luke frowned at her.

"Whatever," Jess huffed, turning to head towards the Gilmore's house.

"I'll take Polaroids and we can go over them later," Luke called to her.

"Take a Polaroid, paint a still picture, whatever you like, Luke," Jess waved over her shoulder. "Just tell me when and where, and I'll drag my shit over there."

"Come on, Jess," Luke begged.

"Nobody asked me if I wanted to move to Stars Hollow, but I'm here," Jess snidely replied, stopping and turning around to speak to her uncle. "Pick whatever place you want, and I'll be there, too."

"Damn it," Jess heard Luke swear as she walked away, bringing a bemused smile to her lips.

(GG)

Rory smiled as she ran her fingertips along the spines of the books, her mind wandering back to what had happened at the Crap Shack some twenty minutes earlier. She had answered the door after her mother had shown Rory her new 'Sounds from the Barnyard' alarm clock, only to find Jess standing there on the porch.

"Hey," Rory greeted, grinning at the other girl. "What are you doing here?"

"Should I be somewhere else?" Jess smirked, pulling a CD from her jacket pocket and handing it to her. "Here."

"Sarah Slean?" Rory asked, holding the door open for Jess to enter.

"Trust me," Jess nodded, walking past her to stand inside the foyer.

"Okay then," Rory nodded back, pocketing the CD before giving Jess a shy smile. Jess smiled back, both of them edging closer together.

"Is that the help?" Lorelai asked, appearing from the living room. The two girls shot apart from each other quickly, causing Lorelai to give them a strange look. Lorelai shook her head, as though dismissing whatever had just happened.

"Hey, Lorelai," Jess greeted smoothly. Rory playfully rolled her eyes.

"So Luke told you what needs to be done?" Lorelai asked.

"Gutters, cleaning, me," Jess shrugged. "What else do I need to know, right?"

"Right," Lorelai agreed with a nod. "I've got to head over to the Inn, so I'll be back to check up on you in an hour or so. The stuff you'll need is on the back porch. Rory will show you where they are."

"Right," Rory nodded, glancing over at Jess. "I was wondering why those things were sitting there," she commented to Jess, causing the other girl to laugh.

"See you girls later," Lorelai smiled at them, then handed Rory a twenty dollar bill. "In case you run out of money at the book fair."

"Thanks, Mom," Rory smiled, then turned to Jess. "Shall we?"

"Where you lead, I will follow," Jess replied.

"Bye, Mom," Rory waved as Lorelai headed to the door.

"Bye, girls," her mother waved back.

"See you, Miss Gilmore," Jess returned as the door closed. As soon as Lorelai was gone, Jess grabbed Rory by the sleeve of her jacket and pulled her towards Jess, kissing her softly. "I thought she'd never leave," Jess whispered.

"Not that I don't mind making out with you," Rory whispered back, pressing her forehead against the other girl's. "But I have to meet Lane at the book fair right away, while you have gutters to clean."

"Buzzkill," Jess snorted, letting her go.

"Can I talk to you?" A familiar voice asked from beside her, bringing Rory out of her reverie. Rory felt her eyes widen and she swallowed down the sudden lump in her throat, her voice faltering at the sight before her.

"Dean," she whispered, not at all looking forward to the conversation that was about to commence.

**End scene**

**Just so you know, a week has past between 17 & 18. Plotwise, I mean.**

**References :**

**Snuggle - A fabric softener company which uses a teddy bear (aptly named Snuggles) as its mascot.**

**Celtics, Bruins - The Celtics and the Bruins are both professional sports teams (basketball and hockey, respectively) for the city of Boston.**

**Arkham - As in 'the Arkham Asylum for the Criminally Insane', from the Batman series of comics.**

**Sarah Slean - The most fantastic musical artist ever. Ever.**


	20. Lost & Found, Then Lost Again

20 - Lost & Found, Then Lost Again

"Dean," Rory whispered, giving the tall boy the impression that she wasn't exactly pleased to see him.

"Hey, there," Dean greeted, feeling like a complete idiot as soon as the words left his mouth.

"Hey," Rory returned, her voice betraying her nervousness.

"How you been?" Dean asked, shoving his hands into pockets. _Have you been as miserable as me?_

Rory licked her lips, matching his nervous pose with one of her own as she placed the stack of books she'd been carrying and stuffed her hands into her jacket pockets and averted her eyes. "I've been okay. Just staying at home and doing my homework, mostly," Rory replied, looking up to meet his gaze. "You know, same old, same old with me. Homework, homework, homework. Chilton's a real killer with the paperwork they assign me, as you well know."

_Okay, she's babbling,_ Dean frowned in confusion, taking note on how fidgety Rory was acting right then. "You okay?"

"Didn't I just tell you I was okay?" Rory asked back.

"Oh, right," Dean said, giving her a small sheepish smile. "I suppose that's good."

"Yeah, I suppose it is," Rory nodded in agreement before looking away again.

_Maybe this was a bad idea,_ Dean thought, watching the girl, who Dean was so madly in love with, acting so evasive. _She looks like she wants to bolt._

"And you?" Rory asked, breaking the awkward silence between them.

"What?" Dean asked, a little taken aback by the question.

"And how are you doing?" Rory asked, elaborating on her question.

_Why are you doing this to me?_ Dean wanted to ask, but instead replied with. "You want the standard answer I've been giving everybody, or the honest one?"

Rory's gaze went downwards again, her body language clearly betraying her guilt. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

"It's okay," Dean replied, though this was a bald faced lie.

"No, it's not, Dean," Rory sighed, glancing up at him with those beautiful blue eyes. "It's not okay." She sniffled, then ran her hand through her hair. Dean frowned, immediately taking notice of a particular piece of jewelry that was missing from her wrist.

"What happened to your bracelet?" Dean asked, wondering at the panic he saw reflected in her azure blues.

"Um, I, ah," Rory began, then quickly sped off into one of her nervous babbles. "Well, I had a rash. The bracelet didn't give me a rash, per say. I wager it's all the stress from school, so I took it off because it aggravated the rash, but the rash is gone and now, as soon as I get home, that puppy is going right back on."

"Um, okay," Dean replied, deciding to take the seemingly weak explaination at more than face value. _Rory's never lied to me in all the time we've been together, so why would she start now?_

"I'm going to go buy these now," Rory said suddenly, picking up the stack of books she'd placed down moments earlier. "And I'll talk to you later, okay?"

"When?" Dean asked, following her to the cash register manned by Gypsy.

"Uh, how about tonight?" Rory asked back, adding. "Around eight?"

"Where?" Dean pressed.

"Wow, you made out like a bandit," Gypsy remarked, cutting herself into the conversation.

"Yeah, I know," Rory answered her, then turned to Dean. "Gazebo sound good?"

"See you then," Dean nodded, then waved farewell before walking away.

(GG)

"Hmm," Jess frowned, yanking yet another piece of debris from the rain gutter. She flipped it over in the palm of her workglove, noting that it was tin and circular with badly faded printing on one side. Jess squinted to read the typing before finally making it out and snorting in amusement. _Just when was the last time that these things were cleaned?_

"Hey, kid," Lorelai's voice called from the ground, catching her attention.

Jess walked over to the edge, glancing down at Rory's mother. "Yeah?"

"Are you hungry?" Lorelai asked, a sudden gust of wind causing her to grip her blue jacket closed. "Because we've got a bunch of leftover Chinese food in the kitchen, and I was wondering if you'd like some late lunch."

"It won't come out of my pay, will it?" Jess countered, quirking an eyebrow.

"No, it won't come out of your pay," Lorelai assured, smirking up at Jess.

"Chinese sounds pretty good right now," Jess nodded in agreement. "I'll be inside in a minute."

"Okay," Lorelai called from below.

A few moments later when Jess had reached the bottom of the ladder, she was hit with a sudden and worrying thought. What if Lorelai had somehow figured out that Jess and Rory...?

"Okay, I'm being stupid," Jess sighed, shaking her head at her sudden paranoia. _It's not like we've been making out in the middle of the street, now is it?_

"Dig in, we've got plenty to go around," Lorelai said when Jess entered, waving at the plethora of take-out boxes splayed across the table. "If you're wondering why there's so much, Rory and I decided to take on the entire chicken column last night."

"Ambitious," Jess replied, impressed.

"Whenever you're ready," Lorelai grinned, then moved towards the cupboards. "So, um, basically everything here is chicken. You got garlic chicken, Kung Pao chicken, Szechuan chicken, and chicken in brown sauce, which looks and tastes remarkably like the Szechuan chicken except it's got these red peppers in it and if you eat them, you will die. Plate?"

Jess was about to grab the plate Lorelai was holding out before remembering what she'd been doing just a few moments ago, causing her to halt in place. "I think maybe I should..."

"Oh, there's soap on the counter," Lorelai pointed to the sink, apparently catching on.

"So when was the last time those gutters were cleaned?" Jess asked over her shoulder, washing her hands as she spoke.

"It's been a while, actually," Lorelai admitted, handing a dish towel to the teenager. "Here."

"Thanks," Jess said, taking it and wiping her hands. "And I'm not very surprised by your answer, because I found an old campaign button that had _'I like Ike'_ printed on it."

"Is it really that bad?" Lorelai winced, handing Jess the plate.

"It won't be when I'm done," Jess replied, grabbing the nearest box and dumping half the contents on her plate. "Which will probably be around six or seven, I guess."

"Now that's what I call good news," Lorelai smiled at her.

"So you're back early from the Inn," Jess began, only to be interupted by the front door opening.

"Mom!"

"Rory?" Lorelai shot up from her seat in an instant, leaving Jess alone at the table. "What is it?"

_Why can't Liz be more like that?_ Jess wondered, amazed and just a little bit jealous on how Lorelai just dropped everything when she thought Rory was in trouble. She shook her head and followed the older Gilmore into the foyer, where Rory seemed to be searching for something in a panic.

"What's going on?" Lorelai asked, following her frantic daughter as Rory switched the search towards the living room.

"I lost it," Rory muttered, flinging a throw pillow over her shoulder. "I can't believe I lost it."

"Lost what?" Lorelai asked as a curious Jess followed after.

"My bracelet," Rory said, kneeling down on the floor to look under the couch.

"Which bracelet?" Lorelai asked, helping her daughter up from the floor. "Maybe I took it."

"The one that-" Rory began, then stopped when she noticed Jess standing in the hall.

"The one that?" Lorelai repeated.

"The leather one with the coin charm on it," Rory explained, turning her attention back to her mother.

_The leather one with the coin charm? Why does that sound familiar?_ Jess thought, then remembered where'd she seen something matching that description. Jess headed out the back door as Rory and Lorelai continued their conversation in the living room, trying to recall where she had placed the charm bracelet she'd found on the bridge two weeks ago.

(GG)

_And here I thought Saturdays were supposed to be relaxing,_ Lorelai griped internally, making her way back to the Crap Shack. From searching the house and then the Independance Inn for Rory's precious bracelet to helping Luke reach a decision on his apartment hunt, it was a fair thing to say that Lorelai was beginning to feel a little wiped.

"If she's going to break up with the boy, then why is she making such a huge deal about the bracelet?" Lorelai wondered aloud, heading up her front steps. She turned the doorknob and pushed the door in, then almost bowled headlong into Jess as she turned the corner into the kitchen. "Whoa!"

"Hey," Jess returned, stepping back.

"Did you get lost?" Lorelai asked, surprised to find the slender brunette coming from her daughter's bedroom.

"No, I was just checking out Rory's books," Jess answered, her stance telling Lorelai that something was up.

"Uh huh," Lorelai nodded slowly, skeptical.

"Yeah, I wanted to see if she had 'Franny and Zooey', which she does," Jess nodded.

"Okay," Lorelai said, quirking her eyebrow at the girl.

"I was gonna get it for her if she didn't," Jess elaborated.

"That's very nice of you," Lorelai replied, not buying it for a second.

"Yeah, okay," Jess nodded again, brushing past her. "So I should be heading back to work, I guess."

"Mm, hmm," Lorelai nodded back, watching the girl as she walked out of the house. Lorelai walked into her daughter's room, then exitted after finding nothing amiss within. She sat down at the table feeling troubled, then stood up and found herself drawn to the kitchen window to look up on her hired help. Lorelai noted that Rory had arrived and the girls began speaking, with Jess becoming visibly aggitated as they spoke further. She turned to meet her daughter when Rory made towards the front door.

"Hey, Babe," Lorelai greeted, hearing the front door open as she turned the corner. "Any luck?"

"No," Rory sighed. "And I've been scouring the town for hours, it seems."

"Well, I'm sure it'll turn up," Lorelai assured, letting her daughter by.

"I guess," Rory agreed, then headed to her bedroom. "I'm gonna check in here again, in case I missed anything."

"Haven't you checked there a thousand times already?" Lorelai asked, walking into the kitchen and retaking her seat at the table.

"A thousand and one," Rory snorted, walking into the room. A moment later, Rory shouted, "Mom!"

"What?" She asked, getting up from her chair. "What's the matter?"

"I found it," Rory replied in an astonished tone. "I looked under the bed, and I found it."

"Aw, that is amazing!" Lorelai said, just as astonished before stopping. _Hey, didn't Jess come from out of there?_ She glanced at her daughter, realizing that Rory had suddenly gone quiet. "What's the matter, Hon?"

Rory sighed, "Now that I've found it, I don't exactly know what to do."

"You want me to tie it back on?" Lorelai asked, stepping toward her. "Like really, really tight?"

Rory appeared torn before finally stating, "No, that's okay."

"You okay, Babe?" Lorelai asked, wondering at the conflicted expression on her daughter's face.

"I'm fine," Rory answered, then sighed. "I've gotta go tell Lane that I've found it and that she can quit searching her place for it, then go talk to Dean about...everything."

Lorelai frowned, concerned at the look on Rory's face. "Is everything going to be okay with you guys?"

"Honestly, Mom," Rory replied, glancing up at her. "I don't know. I really don't know."

"Okay, Babe," Lorelai said, grabbing her daughter into a hug. "Either way, good luck."

"Thanks, Mom," Rory returned, turning and leaving as soon as the embrace was disengaged. "Later."

Lorelai headed to the kitchen window again to see Rory and Jess speak again. As Lorelai watched with interest as they began conversing, wondering why Jess looked so annoyed before being startled by her daughter hugging the other girl. _Okay, looks as though they've become friends,_ she thought as Rory let go and walked away. A moment went by before Lorelai began to suspect that Jess knew more about the missing bracelet than she'd been letting on, which flumoxed Lorelai to no end. The elder Gilmore girl frowned before deciding to confront the girl about it, striding toward the back door with purpose in her step.

(GG)

Jess had just tied off the last plastic bag when Lorelai stepped outside, coming up to her with a frown on her face. The former ballet dancer wondered at the older woman's expression for a second, then immediately brushed it off as she returned to the task at hand.

"So how far along are you?" Lorelai asked, crossing her arms across her chest.

"Just finishing up," Jess answered, gripping the bag in her hand then dragging to the other three she'd set aside earlier that day.

"You managed to finish all that, despite all of today's assorted craziness?" Lorelai asked, sounding surprised.

Jess snorted, "With the exception of the two front gutters, it wasn't all that bad, really."

"Here," Lorelai stated, holding out two twenty dollar bills out to Jess when she turned around. "Take it, you've earned it."

She took the bills and quickly pocket them. "Thanks," she mumbled, turning to leave.

"You took it, didn't you?" Lorelai accused, causing Jess to freeze in her tracks.

"Excuse me?"

"The bracelet," Lorelai clarified, letting out an annoyed sigh. "You had it the entire time, didn't you?"

"No idea what you're talking about," Jess denied, shaking her head.

"How'd you get it, anyway?" Lorelai asked, her frown deepening. "Did you get all dressed in black, break into our house and pull a 'Mission: Impossible'?"

"Actually, I pulled a Santa Claus and came down the chimney," Jess snarked.

"Very funny," Lorelai replied, though her tone told Jess that she thought otherwise.

"I thought a completely ridiculous accusation deserved an equally ridiculous response," she said, rolling her eyes.

"So it's just a great big ol' coincidence that I catch you coming out of Rory's room only minutes before she miraculously finds her missing bracelet under her bed?" Lorelai asked, her tone belying her disbelief.

"Guess so," Jess answered, turning away again.

"I know you don't exactly like it here, but I thought you liked Rory," Lorelai continued, stepping forward. "Yet you let her run around in a complete panic, thinking she'd lost her boyfriend's bracelet. What kind of friend does that?"

"I don't need this crap," Jess snapped over her shoulder. "I'm out of here."

"You're not going anywhere until we're done talking, you little jerk," Lorelai snapped back angrily, following after Jess and spinning her around by the arm.

"Take your hand off me, or I'll rip it off," Jess warned, narrowing her eyes at Rory's mom.

"Just tell me why you did it, and I'll let you go," Lorelai said, standing her ground.

Jess glared at Lorelai, then averted her gaze when the older woman refused to back down. She didn't really know what to do at that moment, since so few people were willing to confront Jess on, well, anything. Jess kind of admired Lorelai's no nonsense manner, but it was causing a serious situation that Jess was unsure of how to disengage herself from right then. _If I'd known that the Beanstalk had given her the fucking thing, I would've just left that stupid bracelet at home,_ she fumed.

"I really thought you were her friend, so I don't get why you did this to her," Lorelai continued, letting Jess' arm loose from her grip. "I just want to know why, Jess. Why would you take the most precious thing she owns? Taking it was just unbelievably cruel on your part."

"Most precious thing?" Jess snorted, rolling her eyes.

"Yeah."

"If it's the most precious thing she owns, why did it take her two and half weeks to realize the fucking thing was missing, huh?" Jess sneered, glaring at Lorelai with genuine anger. "You might want to re-evaluate how in madly in love with Dean you think she really is, Miss Gilmore. I wouldn't start calling him 'son' just yet, if I were you."

"Get out of here," Lorelai ordered, returning the glare in kind.

"You read my mind," Jess growled, whipping around to leave.

(GG)

Rory sat on the bench, nervously waiting for Dean to join her. Rory had called him to meet her sooner than they had previously agreed, worried that she would lose the courage to break up with him if she waited until later. It was time for her to 'man up'. Or rather 'woman up', as the case would be.

"Hey," Dean greeted, causing Rory to start a little. "You alright?"

"I'm fine," Rory assured, standing up. "All things considered."

"That doesn't sound good," Dean frowned.

Rory sighed, then held her hand out. "Here."

"What's this?" Dean asked, putting his hand out under hers.

"I can't keep this anymore," Rory stated, feeling her voice tremble. "It wouldn't be right."

"What?" Dean asked, then let out a hurt breath as Rory dropped the bracelet in his hand. His voice sound strangled when he finally said, "No."

"Please don't make this any harder than it has to be," Rory begged, feeling tears sting her eyes. "Please."

"That's it then, huh?" Dean asked, a short sniffle betraying the hurt he was feeling. "We're done?"

"I'm so sorry, Dean," Rory answered, barely able to keep herself together. "I-"

"Don't," Dean stopped her, swallowing loudly before composing himself enough to continue. "I don't want to hear it, Rory."

Rory looked down, feeling ashamed of herself for hurting the tall boy who'd loved her for so long.

"Why?" Dean asked suddenly. "Is it because-"

"No, it's not anything you've done, it's me," Rory said, immediately feeling like a bitch for saying something so cliche'. "I mean, I..." She sputtered before finally breaking down. "I just... I'm so sor-"

Dean pulled her into his arms, letting her breakdown.

"I love you," Dean whispered before kissing the top of her head and letting her go, walking away back in the direction of his house.

_I so wish I could say that back,_ Rory thought as tears tumbled down her cheeks. _I really do._

(GG)

Luke entered the apartment to the now familiar sound of his niece's loud music, but unlike those other times he had a definite purpose in his step. He smirked as he remembered everything that had happened that day, from tearing up Taylor's apartment lease to Lorelai suggesting that Luke keep the building he'd just purchased on a whim. He found himself amused at his niece's confused expression when he made his way past her and into the closet where the item he was looking for was stored, and even more so when Jess' eyes widened at the sight of the fairly large sludgehammer he slung over his shoulder. He motioned for Jess to follow him to the other side of the apartment, which she did because Jess was by nature a curious girl.

"Holy shit," Jess yelped in surprise as Luke let loose with the hammer, leaving a large hole in his wake.

"Here," Luke chuckled, handing her the sledgehammer. "That's your room. Finish up. We'll hold hands and skip afterwards."

"Jesus Christ, this thing is heavy," Luke heard Jess mutter as he left the room, followed by a thump.

**End scene.**

**Hey, I know, weird way to end it, with Luke and Jess bonding over property damage, but that's just the way it goes. And sorry it took so long for this chapter to come out, but I've been rather uninspired as of late and stuff. Anyhow, thanks for your patience and I hope you liked it. Oh, and don't forget to review after reading, because that's part of reason I do this, you know. Thanks again!**

**If you're disappointed with how Dean just simply gave up there at the end, I say don't worry. This isn't the last we've seen of Dean. Not by a long shot.**


	21. Rendezvous?

21 - Rendezvous?

"Hey," Lorelai greeted, entering the diner with Rory right behind her.

"Hey," Luke greeted back from where he'd been talking to Tom.

"Look at this place," Lorelai remarked in shock at the disaster area that Luke's had become.

"It's a mess," Rory agreed, feeling equally as stunned.

"How long-" Lorelai began, about to sit down at the nearest open table.

"Nope," Luke stopped her. "Can't sit here."

"Why not?"

"Three people got nailed in the head here earlier," he explained.

"But their food was okay, right?" Lorelai asked with a smirk.

"Will you just move?" Luke asked, then pointed outside when her cellphone began to ring. "Outside."

"You know, if I stay right here, I'll just be outside in a second," Lorelai quipped, then turned to her daughter. "Order me a coffee."

"Will do," Rory nodded, amused by their banter.

"Hey," Jess greeted from behind her. "You might need this."

"Oh," Rory gasped in surprise as Jess opened an umbrella and handed it to her.

"Yeah, you're real funny. You and Tom should put an act together," Luke sneered, glaring at his niece before saying to Rory. "I'd keep it open."

_She looks so cute wearing that hard-hat,_ Rory smiled, watching Jess walk from table to table taking orders. It had been a week since they last spent anytime together, which was entirely Rory's fault. Her mind drifted back, remembering what had happened and what she asked of the lithe brunette last weekend.

"Well, I found it," Rory declared, holding the bracelet up for the other girl to see.

"See, what did I tell you?" Jess had smirked back, tying off a garbage bag.

"Now I've just got to get it back to Dean," Rory said, then immediately felt like an ass.

"Oh, I see," Jess muttered.

Rory stepped forward, wrapping the other girl in a hug. She felt Jess stiffen at the sudden contact, definitely surprised by Rory's action. "I'm not changing my mind, if that's what you're thinking, Jessica," Rory assured her, whispering in her ear. "I just need a little adjustment time, you know?"

"You need to wallow," Jess concluded. "I get it, Rory."

"I'll see you around?" Rory asked, letting her go.

"Seems to end up that way, doesn't it," Jess smiled back, sending chills down Rory's back.

"Here's your coffee," Luke declared, bringing her thoughts back to the present.

"Thanks, Luke," Rory smiled up at him, then turned to see Jess smirking at her.

"Don't mention it," she vaguely heard Luke reply. She then glanced over at her mother, who had just re-entered the diner.

"I'm going to a spa with my mother," Lorelai stated in a defeated tone, sitting down next to her.

"Lean forward," Rory ordered just as a piece of drywall struck the top of the umbrella.

(GG)

"Madeline?" Paris asked, leaning as far to her left as she could.

"Yeah?" Madeline replied, doing the same as Paris was doing.

"What are you guys doing tonight?" Paris asked, though she already suspected what the boy crazy brunette's response would be.

"It's Friday night," Madeline answered, giving Paris a perplexed glance.

"So you've got dates?"

"Well, yeah," Madeline nodded. "Why?"

"I was kind of hoping you would study with me," Paris stated.

"On a Friday night?" Madeline asked in disbelief.

"Yes."

"But we have dates," the black haired girl whined.

"What is she saying?" Louise asked, trying to glance around her best friend to Paris.

"She wants us to study with her," Madeline explained.

"On a Friday night?" Louise asked, doing a perfect imitation of Madeline's earlier disbelief.

"Yeah," Madeline nodded.

"But we have dates," Louise replied, sounding annoyed.

"I know you have dates," Paris sighed, getting exasperated by this entire enchange. "But I was hoping you'd cancel them."

"To study?" Madeline asked.

"Yes."

"On a Friday night?"

"What did she say?" Louise asked, cutting in once again.

"She wants us to cancel our dates to study," Madeline relayed to the blonde.

"On a Friday night?"

"That's what she said."

"But we have-"

"Oh my God, forget I asked," Paris snapped, finally having enough. She got up from her seat and made her way over to Rory, somebody who Paris might have a little better chance of convincing to study with her. "So, I suppose you have big Friday night plans as well?"

"Big, big plans," Rory said, her tone distracted.

"So the fact that I'm seeing my entire Harvard career slip away is apparently no interest to anyone?" Paris asked.

Rory glanced up at that, quirking an eyebrow at her. "What are you talking about?"

Paris sighed, "I got an A-minus."

"So?"

"What do you mean, 'so'?" Paris cried, thinking that of all the people to understand her plight, Rory would at the top of the list. "I've never gotten an A-minus in my entire life. I just can't focus lately. Things are so weird at my house. My dad finally figured out how much it's going to cost him to divorce my mom, so now he's back and it was bad enough that we wasted all that time crunching numbers, but now he's back and they're fighting and redecorating. The place is a mess. I need your help."

"Look, I can't tonight, but if you're still freaked out after the quiz on Tuesday, I will spend everyday next week helping you prepare for the final, okay?"

"You're just going to make-out with Dean all weekend, aren't you?" Paris accused.

"You came over here, asking for my help, remember?" Rory snapped, causing Paris to step back abit. "I'll be more than happy to rescind the offer-"

"Okay, jeez," Paris interupted, surprised at Rory's fiery response. "I'm sorry, I get the point."

"I'm sorry, too, Paris," Rory sighed, looking guilty for her outburst. "I shouldn't have snapped like that, but things have been a bit weird for me as well and I just want some downtime from everything, you know?"

"I guess," Paris nodded, wondering at what was bothering the usually serene Rory Gilmore.

"Relax, and everything will be fine," Rory soothed. "I promise."

"All I had to do was move one decimal point and none of this would've happened," Paris muttered, turning away from Rory to return to her desk. When she got back to her desk, Paris glanced back at the girl who she considered her best friend and rival, who seemed a bit more guarded as of late.

_What's up with Gilmore, I wonder?_ Paris pondered, watching the other girl gather her stuff and leave. _I think it's high time I paid Stars Hollow a visit. What kind of friend would I be if I didn't look out for her?_ Paris smiled, deciding that this course of action was a good one. _Besides, it gets me away from those psychopaths who are posing as my parents. Hmm, maybe I can get some study time while I'm there..._

(GG)

Jess had just finished a coffee round and was fully intent to return to the book she'd been reading when Rory entered the diner, conspicuously alone this time.

"Hey," she greeted, smiling shyly at Jess.

"Hey," Jess returned, trying to remain stoic. "Coffee?"

"Yes, please," Rory replied, taking the seat in front of the cash register.

"No problem," Jess nodded, turning to grab the coffee pot. "So you're back earlier than usual."

"Have you been keeping tabs on me, Miss Mariano?" Rory smirked at her.

"Yes," Jess admitted, returning the smirk. "Yes, I have."

"Chilton had early dismissal, so everybody got out at two," Rory explained, watching intently as Jess poured her the cup of coffee. "I had a story for the Franklin to touch up though, not to mention Paris freaking out over getting an A-minus in Science. Had to talk her off that ledge, you know?"

"Gotta love that Paris," Jess chuckled. "Always good for a laugh."

"Yeah," Rory agreed.

The two girls shared an awkward moment, smiling like idiots at one another.

"So my Mom's out of town until tomorrow night," Rory suddenly stated, glancing at Jess with longing and hope in her eyes.

"And this affects me how?" Jess teased.

"Jess," Rory whined, pouting up at her from the other side of the counter.

"Only joking, Ror," Jess smirked, leaning forward so the two other customers wouldn't hear. "But I thought you said, during the whole bracelet fiasco last week, that you wanted a little time to, you know, adjust?"

"I know that's what I said," Rory said lowly, leaning forward as well. "But I, um..."

"But you..."

"But I think that an entire week is long enough," Rory finished, blinking her eyes rapidly. "Don't you?"

Jess took a deep breath, then nodded, "I'm done at seven thirty."

"Eight o'clock it is, then," Rory nodded back before gulping down the rest of her coffee, only to wince slightly when she placed the empty cup onto the counter.

"You okay?" Jess asked, quirking an eyebrow at her.

"That really freaking hurt," Rory rasped, her eyes watering.

"I'll grab you some ice water," Jess said, chuckling as she did so.

(GG)

Rory had just finished talking to her mother while placing an order from Sandeep's when the doorbell went off, causing her to jump to her feet in excitement. It wasn't until she was halfway to the frontdoor that it dawned on her that it was only a quarter after six, making Rory stop dead in her tracks. _I only just made my order to Sandeep's and Jess isn't coming over until eight, so who could it be?_

"Only one way to find out," Rory said aloud, grasping the handle and opening the door. "Paris?"

"I tried to stay home and study myself, but I can't," Paris explained, forcing her way past Rory into the house. "I don't know what anything means anymore. I mean, I can't even read my own handwriting." Rory watched as Paris shook the piece of paper in her hand. "What does this say? The person who wrote this should be dressed in a clown costume stuffing bodies under their porch. And you're in your pajamas."

"I know," Rory nodded, closing the door. "I just ordered Indian food and was doing laundry before you got here."

"These were your big Friday night plans?" Paris asked, looking disappointed and annoyed. "A night inside with Mr. Peanut?" She looked Rory up and down before adding, "Nice camisole top by the way. Were you planning to greet Dean at the door with that on, hoping to get some loving?"

"No," Rory denied, wrapping her arms around herself in embarrassment. _It's not Dean that I'm trying to impress._

"Yeah, whatever," Paris snorted, making for the living room.

"Okay, you need to leave now," Rory said, attempting to grab the girl by the shoulders to guide her back towards the door.

"But I just arrived," Paris replied, manuevering past Rory to her destination, only to stop when she got there. "Wow, you really are doing laundry."

"Yes," Rory sighed, rolling her eyes.

"You're doing laundry in your pajamas," Paris stated.

"My mom is out of town and I rarely get the house all to myself," Rory explained, wishing the blonde menace would just go away.

"You mean, you never get to go months on end without seeing your parents, just getting the occasional postcard that doesn't even have a courtesy 'Wish You Were Here' written on it?" Paris asked, visibly upset. "That does suck. Don't let me stand in your way."

"Paris, wait," Rory sighed, suddenly feeling sorry for the girl. _Her home life must really suck._

"No, forget it," Paris sneered, heading back towards the front door. "I don't want to get in the way of your big night. I hear there's some hot knitting going on later."

_I can't believe I'm about to say this,_ Rory thought before relenting. "Fine, I'll study with you."

"You will?" Paris asked, hesitating as though she thought Rory was yanking her chain.

"For one hour, that's it," Rory replied, then quickly adding. "We can do a quick review and a pop quiz, but then you're going home. Deal?"

"Deal," the blonde agreed.

"Okay, go sit on the couch," Rory ordered, pointing to the living room. "I'll be out in a minute."

"Where are you going?"

"To get changed," Rory called over her shoulder. _And hopefully, I can get you out of the house before Jess gets here._

"Okay," she heard Paris reply. "But my hour doesn't start until you get back, right?" Beat. "Right?"

(GG)

"How this place can be so dead and so loud at the same time is beyond me," Jess griped for the umpteenth time, holding the umbrella open with her left hand to keep drywall from landing on her head. She held a book in her right, attempting to read it with little success. After having read the same paragraph for the seventh time, Jess tossed the novel under the counter with a frustrated grunt.

"If you have something better to do, be my guest," Luke said, apparently having had enough of her bitching and complaining. She had been doing it for the last several hours now, so naturally it was only a matter of time before her uncle finally relented. Actually, she was rather impressed by how long Luke had managed to ignore her, seeing as Jess considered herself a master at the art of annoyance. The man definitely had the patience of a saint to withstand her onslaught of complaints.

"Really?" Jess asked, perking up at the news. "I can go?"

"Didn't I just say that?" Luke muttered, taking the umbrella from her.

"Sweet," Jess said, almost a little too excitedly. She had to physically keep herself from running straight upstairs to change her clothes. There was no way in hell that Jess was going to show up on Rory's doorstep in her current get-up of greasy, dust covered jeans and dirty t-shirt.

"Hey, kid," Tom greeted her when she opened the door.

"Hey," Jess waved, heading past him to where her bed, dresser and several heaps of boxes were temporarily moved. Reaching between her bed and some boxes, Jess produced a duffle bag containing a change of clothes. Slinging it over her shoulder, she turned and headed into the bathroom. She quickly stripped off her filthy jeans and t-shirt, then opened the duffle bag to pull out a red floral sundress and slipped it over her head. Buttoning up the front, Jess glanced up and smirked at her reflection in the full length mirror that Luke had installed on the back of the door, wondering what Rory would think of her outfit. _Hope she appreciates it. I don't wear a dress for just anybody!_

"You heading out on a date there, kid?" Tom asked when she exitted the washroom, his other two workers stopping to look at her.

"That's none of your business, Tommy," Jess playfully replied, walking past him and out the door. "See you boys later," she smirked, waving back at the wide-eyed construction workers.

"Quit gawking and get back to work, you perverts," she heard Tom shout as the door shut behind her.

Jess all but bounced down the stairs, letting excitement get the better of her for a moment. She took a quick breath when she reached the bottom, reining her anticipation in once more. Feeling as though she was as ready as she was ever going to be, Jess stepped back into the diner.

"You're all dressed up," Luke lazily remarked, returning his attention back to his receipts after giving her a quick glance.

"Well, I'm off," Jess stated, ignoring her uncle's remark. "Don't wait up for me."

"Hold on a minute," Luke said, then left into the kitchen.

"I really hate it when you do that," Jess called out after him, tapping her foot impatiently.

"Here," Luke said, returning with three take-out bags in a small cardboard box.

"What's in the box?" Jess asked in an excited tone, taking it from him.

"Huh?" Luke looked at her like Jess had grown an extra head.

"Brad Pitt? Seven?" Jess clarified, then remembered just who it was that she was addressing. "Oh, that's right. You never watch movies. My mistake."

"Anyway, take this to Rory, then go do whatever it is you're planning to do," Luke ordered, shaking his head.

"Will do," Jess nodded, then added. "But you think this is going to be enough? She is a Gilmore, after all."

"Be back by twelve," Luke ordered, watching Jess as she walked over to grab her jacket.

"You're funny, Luke," Jess chuckled, holding the door open with her back and smirking over at him. "Twelve," she snorted, like it was the most absurd thing anybody had ever suggested. She walked out with the box under her arm, shaking her head.

"I mean it," Luke growled.

"Whatever," Jess sing-songed back as the door was closing shut behind her, taking pleasure in raising her uncle's blood pressure. _He just makes it so damned easy some days._

(GG)

"Hey, Jess," Lane greeted, jogging to catch up with her friend. "Wait up."

"Hey, Laney," Jess returned, a surprised expression on her face. "What are you doing out so late?"

"I was just heading over to Rory's to grab a CD she borrowed," Lane answered, matching her pace with the other girl's. "How about you? Where are you heading?"

"Same place," Jess answered, then hefted the box up a little bit. "Gotta drop this off, then maybe visit for a bit before heading back to the construction zone that is home."

"What's in the box?" Lane asked, smirking.

"Gwenyth Paltrow's head," Jess quipped.

"No, really," Lane insisted, though she chuckled at the movie reference.

"Some sort of care package Luke made for Rory while her mom's out of town," Jess explained, rolling her eyes. "Like the girl's going to starve without her mommy there to feed her. Doesn't he realize that Rory is fully capable of using a phone to call for delivery?"

"The gall of the man," Lane scoffed, feigning offense and disbelief. They walked in comfortable silence before Lane finally felt the need to break it and inform Jess of the latest news. "Did you hear that Dean and Rory have broken up?"

"I heard," Jess replied, her tone neutral.

"Oh, okay," Lane said, hoping for some sort of reaction from Jess at the news. She glanced at the other girl as they walked, noticing that something was a little off with her. It took Lane a moment before realizing what that was, which brought another smirk to her lips.

"Stop it," Jess ordered, seeming to know exactly what the Korean girl was thinking at that moment.

"I'm not doing anything," Lane said in the most innocent voice she could muster.

"Not a word," Jess warned with an amused smile on her face.

"You got it, Jessica," Lane promised, then immediately broke it a moment later. "I like your dress by the way, it brings out your eyes."

"Ah, jeez," Jess muttered, rolling her eyes.

**End Scene.**

**Okay, I'm already working on the next chapter. I have it all planned out in my head, so don't worry. Shouldn't be too long before it's emancipated from the prison that is my mind. Next chapter is probably going to be just as long, if not longer.**

**So don't fret, everything is shiny.**

**As always, thanks for reading and please review when you're finished.**

**See you next update.**

**Oh, yeah, any (non-dirty) guesses on what's going to happen now that both Paris and Lane on the scene?**


	22. Girl's Night

22 - Girl's Night

"So, given that those are the reactions occurring in the two half-cells, what do you do next?" Rory asked, reading from the paper in her hand.

"Well, if we add them together, doubling the coefficients of the silver half equation but not the voltage, we get the equation for the complete reaction," Paris answered, sounding a tad unsure of herself.

"Well, you're in much better shape than you want to think you are," Rory commented, mentally adding. _Which means you've wasted an entire hour of my time, thank you very much!_

"Impossible," Paris snorted, then glanced up at the sound of the doorbell. "Where are you going?"

"That's probably my food," Rory answered, already halfway to the door.

"Another half hour, please," Paris begged.

"No, you got your hour," Rory stated sternly over her shoulder. "You need to go."

"But-"

"Go."

"Fine," Paris huffed, beginning to gather her studying supplies from the coffee table in front of her.

Rory whipped the door open, fully expecting to find the Sandeep's delivery guy, but instead found both her best friend and her (would-be) girlfriend standing on the porch. Lane had a smug smirk on her lips, while Jess wore a sheepish smile on her own.

"What's going on?" Rory asked, her voice cracking slightly near the end. _You're early! And why is Lane with you?_

"That's what I'd like to know," Lane said, looking between her two friends.

"Ah, jeez," Jess muttered.

"What's that?" Rory asked, pointing at the box Jess was holding.

"It's food," Jess explained with a shrug. "Luke made you a care package."

"Sure, Luke," Lane interjected with a snort.

"Would you stop it already, Laney?" Jess sighed, sounding exasperated.

"While I'll be sure to thank Luke the next time I see him, I don't really need a care package," Rory replied, quickly adding. "I ordered food from Sandeep's."

"Really?" Jess asked, raising an eyebrow. "Plan on burning the house down afterwards?"

"Jess," Rory frowned.

"Only way to kill the smell," Jess teased.

"Why don't you guys come inside?" Rory invited, pulling the door open wide for them.

"Sounds good," Lane agreed.

"Where should I put this?" Jess asked, walking past the Korean girl to stand in the foyer.

Rory pointed in the direction of the kitchen. "Just put in on the table."

"Okay," Jess nodded, then proceded into the next room.

"So, what's going here, huh?" Lane whispered, stopping Rory before she could follow after Jess. "Are you and Jess-"

"I can't find my flashcards," Paris stated, walking into the foyer from living room.

"Okay, did you guys have something kinky planned for tonight?" Lane asked, confusion apparent on her face.

"What is she talking about?" Paris asked, just as confused. "Kinky?"

"Hey, Paris," Rory greeted, spinning on her heel. "We were just about to eat. Why don't you stay and join up?"

"But I thought-"

"With my order from Sandeep's on the way and what Luke sent over in the care package, we'll have a ton of food," Rory explained, thinking quickly on her feet. From the unconvinced expression on the blonde's face, Rory knew she had to add some sort incentive for Paris to stay. "And we'll go over some more notes later if we have time."

"You're sure?"

"Yes," Rory nodded. _Please accept so Lane will stop prying._

"Is there mac and cheese?" Paris asked, a hopeful glint in her eye.

"I don't really know," Rory admitted.

"Yes, there's mac and cheese," Jess supplied, returning from the kitchen.

"I love mac and cheese," the blonde girl replied, smiling.

"Who doesn't?" Jess smirked.

"I'm not allowed to eat mac and cheese," Paris frowned.

"Lactose intolerant?" Jess asked, quirking an eyebrow.

Paris nodded, "Yeah."

"Huh, me, too."

"Your town has a twenty-four hour pharmacy in case I have an extreme reaction to anything, right?" Paris asked, turning her attention back to Rory.

"Believe it or not, we do."

"Okay," Paris nodded. "Can I use your phone?"

"It's in the living room," Rory hiked her thumb over her shoulder.

"Interesting," Lane noted when Paris had left, glancing sideways at Rory.

"What is?"

"I'm going to get the table set up," Jess declared, making a hasty retreat.

_Ah, you giant chicken,_ Rory frowned at the brunette's back.

"Don't think I'm fooled by all this, Ror," Lane smirked.

"Think whatever you like, Lane," Rory sighed, walking past her to follow after Jess.

"You'd tell me if anything was really going on, wouldn't you?" Lane asked, her tone turning from smug to earnest. "I mean, between you and Jess?"

Rory stopped, then glanced over her shoulder. Her eyes met Lane's deep brown ones before she finally answered with a nod. "Yeah, I would. You know I would."

"Okay, then," Lane nodded back, brushing past Rory to join Jess in the kitchen.

Rory smiled, thankful that she could confide in her oldest friend if and when the situation called for it, then followed after to join the other girls in the kitchen. She turned her gaze to Paris on the way, who was on the phone in the living room.

"Hola, es Paris," she heard the blonde speaking to somebody in Portuguese. "Voy a comer la cena de cas de Rory. Hay mucho mac and cheese!"

_This is so not what I had planned for tonight,_ Rory sighed, glancing longingly at the lithe brunette setting up the table for their late supper. _At least I get to spent some time with Jess tonight, _she consoled herself with a small smile. _Even if we do have some unexpected company to contend with._

(GG)

"That is such bullshit," Jess laughed, leaning back in her chair.

"It is not," Paris rebuked, pointing at the brunette with a fry. "The Beats' writing was completely self-indulgent, which resulted in nothing more than a tragic waste of paper. I have one word for Kerouac - edit."

"It was not self-indulgent," Jess retorted, gesturing with her hands. "The Beats believed in shocking people, stirring things up."

"They believed in drugs, booze and petty crime," Paris stated with a smug smile.

"You say it like those are bad things," Jess smirked, grabbing another fry before dipping it in ketchup and scarfing it down.

"Well then, you can say they exposed you to a world you wouldn't have otherwise known," Rory interjected, playing the part of mediator. "And isn't that the point of great writing?"

"That was not great writing," Paris snorted, crossing her arms over her chest. "It was the National Enquirer of the fifties."

"You're cracked," Jess scoffed.

"Is there any more of that weird brown stuff from Sandeep's left?" Lane asked, pointing at a box situated in front of Rory.

"Oh, um, yeah," Rory replied, grabbing the box and looking inside. "Pass that over, will you, Jess?"

"Sure," Jess said, taking it from Rory. Paris watched with disinterest before her attention was caught by the looks exchanged between the other two girls seated in front and to the right of her. _What do we have here?_ Paris wondered, glancing across at Jess, then to Rory beside her.

"So what kind of music do you listen to, Paris?" Lane asked, bringing her attention away from Rory and Jess.

"Ah, what do you mean?"

"Who's your favorite band, singer, et cetera," Lane elaborated.

"I'm mostly into classical stuff. You know, Chopin, Mozart," Paris replied, then added. "But I also like Sinead O'Connor, Liz Phair, and stuff like that. My personal favorite though is Sarah McLachlan, I think."

"Wow, for somebody so intense, your mellow choice in music is kind of surprising," Jess noted.

"It centers me when I study," Paris shrugged, then asked. "And what kind of music do you listen to, Jess?"

"Well, I'm a big fan of Rage Against the Machine, the Clash, Ani DiFranco, PJ Harvey-" Jess began, listing them off on her fingers.

"You shouldn't mention PJ Harvey around Paris, Jess," Rory interupted, smirking at the blonde. "It's a bit of a sore subject."

"Shut up, Gilmore," Paris snapped, feeling her cheeks burn in embarrassment. _I'd rather like to forget about all the time I wasted desperately wishing and wanting to be the girlfriend of Tristan Dugray._

"How can anybody have something against PJ Harvey?" Lane asked, wearing a confused expression.

"Paris had a thing for Tristan," Rory informed the other two girls.

"Really?" Jess asked, amused by the information.

"The guy seemed like a bit of an ass to me," Lane remarked, then stopped and gave Paris an apologetic glance. "But I only met him two or three times since Rory started at Chilton, so what do I know?"

"He was kind of cute, in an annoying kind of way," Rory admitted.

"Huh," Jess grunted, which caught the blonde's attention. Paris noticed the quick frown on the brunette's face, remembering that exact same expression from the Shakespeare Project a few weeks earlier. As quickly as the frown had appeared though, it was gone when Rory smiled at her in a re-assuring fashion. _Okay, these two are acting extremely weird._

"Didn't he invite you to a concert at the end of school last year?" Lane asked, drawing Rory's attention away from the girl beside her.

"Let me guess," Jess interjected, turning to Lane. "It was a PJ Harvey concert, right?"

"And I would've gone too, if it was with anybody but Tristan," Rory nodded.

"That must have really pissed you off to no end," Jess smirked over at Paris. "Your crush asking out one of your friends out, instead of you."

"Oh, you have no idea," Rory shook her head in rememberance.

"I got over it," Paris snorted, waving her hand dismissively. "Hey, whatever happened between Henry and you, Lane? Weren't you two dating for a while there?"

"Speaking of sore subjects," Jess stated awkwardly, suddenly finding one of the upper kitchen corners extremely interesting.

"I don't really want to talk about it," Lane said, her shoulders slumping slightly.

"Oh, sorry," Paris replied lowly, feeling guilty for bringing it up.

"Why don't we go and watch a movie?" Rory suggested, trying to break the sudden tension.

"That sounds like a good idea," Jess agreed, standing up from her seat. "Paris?"

"Huh?"

"Let's go check out the selection," Jess motioned toward the living room.

"Um, okay," Paris agreed, getting up and following the slim brunette out of the kitchen. She stopped for a quick moment, glancing back at the asian girl. _Didn't exactly ingratiate myself to Lane with that question, now did I?_ Paris sighed inwardly, shaking her head. _I suck at making new friends._

(GG)

"Wow, there's a lot of movies in here," Jess stated, opening the storage compartment below the televison. She sat down to get a better look and sifted through several tapes before finally coming across one of her personal favorites. "Oh, this is a good one."

"What did you find?" Paris asked, glacing over Jess' shoulder.

"The Princess Bride," Jess answered, holding up the tape for the blonde to grab.

"I've never seen this before," Paris stated, taking it and sitting down on the floor behind her.

"Really?" Jess asked, surprised.

"No," Paris shook her head, her gaze on the tape in her hands. "I've heard that it's good, but I never got around to watching it myself."

"Well, it looks like we have a winner then," Jess smiled, turning to face Rory's schoolmate.

"Do you have a boyfriend?" Paris asked suddenly, looking up at Jess.

"Excuse me?" Jess asked back, taken a little off guard by the question.

"Do you-"

"I heard you," Jess interupted, then shook her head. "And no, I don't."

"Huh," Paris replied, sounding a little surprised.

"Why do you ask?" Jess asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"Just curious," Paris shrugged, then held the tape up in the air. "This thing still has the plastic wrap on it."

"Must be brand new," Jess deduced, then turned back to the open shelf. "Wonder what other treasures the Gilmores have in here."

Jess went back to going through the assorted movies, but wasn't having much success in finding any other possible choices when the blonde began speaking once again. "You know, I find the fact that you don't have a boyfriend rather surprising."

"How so?" Jess asked distractedly.

"Well, you're smart and you're pretty, so it's only natural for one to think that you'd be beating the guys off with a stick," Paris explained, then quickly added. "No dirty pun or misconstrued come on intended, by the way."

"Fair enough, I guess," Jess shrugged, closing the compartment in resignation and turning to face the other girl. "But just for your information, there will be no beating off of sticks for this girl."

"What do you mean?" Paris asked, leaning back against the coffee table.

"I'm gay," Jess stated, then wondered if it was such a good idea to reveal her sexual orientation to this girl she barely knew. _Too late now,_ she thought. _Might as well see how she reacts._

"Huh," Paris nodded, wearing an expression that could only be described as thoughtful.

"That doesn't make you uncomfortable, does it?" Jess asked after an awkward silence.

"No, not really," Paris shook her head, then quickly added. "Um, good for you, by the way."

"Uh, thanks," Jess said back, not really sure of what to make of the blonde's reaction.

"You're welcome," Paris nodded.

The two girls sat in another moment of awkward silence, which was brought to an end when Lane re-entered from the kitchen.

"So what's going on in here?" Lane asked, glancing between them.

"Nothing," Paris and Jess said at the same time.

"Okay, that was just freaky," Lane remarked, frowning in confusion and unease.

"I need a drink," Jess declared, shooting up from the floor with such a flourish that her dress came dangerously close to flying up above her waistline. _I've never been very good with dresses,_ Jess sighed in annoyance, absently pushing her hem down before hurrying out of the living room towards the kitchen.

"Could you grab me one, too, Marilyn?" Lane snickered as she marched past.

"Whatever," Jess muttered, rolling her eyes.

(GG)

The movie had been playing for almost twenty minutes, but Lane wasn't really paying that much attention to it. No, she had a far more interesting show going on in front of her, though Lane had to admit that the participants were being careful and crafty to the extreme. If it weren't for her own experience at being subversive, Lane would most likely had missed everything. As it were, Lane had come to the Gilmore house with her antennae up to begin with, thus she noticed the several small gestures and quick glances between her subjects, all of which were riddled with nervousness. Something was definitely afoot in the Gilmore residence.

_If only Paris wasn't here, I could just ask them what exactly is going on,_ Lane thought in frustration. _Damn you, Paris!_

She glanced over at her other movie companion, frowning with concern as to what to do about her. The blonde was the wild card in this situation, making any attempt on Lane's part to dig for information rather difficult, if not impossible.

Lane let out a long, frustrated sigh, not realizing that she'd done so until all three of the other girls turned their eyes towards her.

"What's the matter, Lane?" Rory asked, a concerned expression on her face.

"I need to pee, but don't want to miss any of the movie," Lane explained, feeling like an idiot for her lame excuse.

"Then go pee," Paris scoffed, leaning back into her cushioned seat against the coffee table.

"Nobody's stopping you, Laney," Jess chirped from the armchair to Paris' right. "We'll just hit pause."

"What about Gilmore movie night rules?" Lane turned to Rory, thinking quickly on her feet. "Isn't there a rule about not pausing for anything?"

"I think we'll let that one slide this time, Lane," Rory smiled, sitting beside her on the couch. "Besides, Mom's not here to enforce that particular rule anyway."

_Might as well follow through with my ploy,_ Lane thought, standing up and heading to the washroom. "Thanks."

"Now I need to use the washroom, too," Paris sighed in annoyance, getting up as well.

"And the race for the washroom begins," Rory declared with a laugh.

Lane glanced over at Paris, who immediately dashed past her towards the washroom. Lane had rushed forward out of pure instinct before remembering halfway there that she didn't really need to use it in the first place.

"I win," Paris called out in triumph from inside behind the door.

"That was mature," Jess deadpanned from her seat.

Lane turned around and motioned to the other girls to come closer, resulting in Jess and Rory to share another nervous look.

"Would you guys just get over here?" Lane whispered, her tone fierce.

Jess rolled her eyes, but complied in silence. Rory followed suit.

"What's up?" Rory asked in a tone that told Lane she was desperately trying to play it cool.

"If you guys are trying to be subtle, you're failing miserably," Lane stated, delighting on how both their eyes widened.

"Ah, motherfuck," an abashed Jess grumbled, her gaze hitting the floor.

"Crap," Rory muttered, equally as embarrassed.

"I'm completely okay with you guys hooking up, if that's what you were worried about," Lane assured them, still talking lowly so Paris wouldn't hear from the washroom. "But you're going to have to work on keeping yourselves in check better. Who knows what Paris would do with that information, if she found out."

"Thanks for the heads up, Laney," Jess nodded.

"We'll keep it in mind," Rory agreed, both of them apparently having decided to drop any pretense in front of Lane. "And... thanks for not freaking out."

"No problem," Lane smiled, glad that everything between them was now cleared up.

"Washroom's free," Paris called.

"About time," Lane grumbled dramatically, winking to Jess and Rory before heading towards the washroom in an exaggerated huff.

(GG)

_Okay, what information is Lane afraid of me obtaining?_ Paris wondered when she retook her seat. She glanced back at Jess and Rory, frowning in annoyance that she was being left out of their little clique. She sat back into her cushions, pressing her spine against the foam caught between her body and the hard coffee table. _Fine, keep your little secrets, Gilmore,_ Paris grumbled internally, unwilling to admit that she felt a little hurt by being left out of the loop. _See if I care!_

The phone gave out a muffled ring, causing everybody to glance around in confusion.

"Aren't you gonna answer that, Ror?" Jess asked, tilting her head slightly to the left.

"I would if I could remember where I put the damn thing," Rory replied, then shrugged. "I'll just let the machine take this one."

"If you're happy and you know it, leave a message," Lorelai's voice sang from the machine three rings later, making Paris wonder what kind of drugs the elder Lorelai could possibly be taking. _Nobody can possibly be that crazy without being on some sort of medication._

"Hey, it's me, Rory," Dean's voice grumbled from the machine. "I'm just calling to tell you I'm on my way there to drop off some of your stuff you left at my place. Thought I should give you a little warning instead of just showing up, you know? Anyway, see you in a few."

"Oh, goody, this should be fun," Jess sneered.

"Aw, man," Rory groaned, dropping her head in her hands.

"What's going on?" Paris asked, thoroughly confused by Rory's response. _Shouldn't she be happy that her boyfriend is coming over?_ Paris wondered before it struck her. _Unless... he's no longer her boyfriend!_

"Was that who I think it was on the machine?" Lane asked uneasily, having just returned from the washroom.

"Bag Boy is dropping by," Jess grumbled, plopping back on the armchair. She crossed her arms over her chest in anger, glaring straight ahead of her.

_Huh, she is so transparent,_ Paris thought as she watched Jess gnashing her teeth. Taking in the startling new fact that Jess had revealed that she's gay put everything into new perspective for Paris, which helped her figure out that the slim brunette had a thing for Rory. She also took into consideration the girl's past reactions towards the younger Lorelai Gilmore. From her death glare at Tristan during the Shakespeare presentation to her near tantrum here, it was obvious to anybody with a functioning brain and a pair of eyes that Jess liked Rory. _Now if I only knew how Rory feels about all this. Did she know that Jess, another girl, was crushing on her? And if so, how does she feel about it?_

"This is going to suck," Rory stated in a matter-of-fact tone.

_And the plot thickens,_ Paris observed, glancing sidelong at the two upset girls. She watched Rory fidget on the couch, her gaze still downward. Turning her attention to the brunette on the armchair, Paris immediately recognized the expression on Jess' face. It was the same one Jess had when Tristan had said good-bye to Rory several months earlier, a look that could flay the skin off its recipient if it were possible. _She is really pissed._

"Jess," Lane began, apparently picking up on the heavy tension in the room as well.

"I'm gonna go," Jess stated, standing up from her seat.

After Jess had all but stalked from the living room to the kitchen, Rory immediately followed suit. The front door could be heard opening and shutting in quick succession, leaving Paris and Lane alone in awkward silence. Lane sat down on the couch behind where Paris was sitting, neither really sure on what to do or say next.

"So I take it that Jess doesn't like Dean very much?" Paris asked, turning to face the quirky Korean girl.

"I think it would be a fair assessment to say that Jess hates him," Lane nodded, meeting her gaze.

"And why would that be?" Paris asked, pressing for information.

Lane seemed to hesitate before saying, "I don't really know, actually." She then ended the conversation by unpausing the movie.

_You're a bad liar, Kim,_ Paris thought. Turning back around to face the television, Paris decided to drop the matter.

For now, anyway.

(GG)

"You're being dramatic," Rory accused as soon as they were alone. They walked to the dimly lit area near Rory's bedroom window, hidden from prying eyes.

"I'm just frustrated by this whole night," Jess sighed, leaning forward with her palms against the porch railing.

"You're not the only one," Rory breathed, who Jess noticed was shivering slightly because of the night air.

"You forgot to put on your jacket," Jess noted aloud, pulling her own off. "Come here."

"I'm fine," Rory insisted, stepping back. "Really."

"Come here."

"I'm fine."

"Will you just stand still?" Jess demanded, wrapping the other girl in her coat.

"Thanks," Rory whispered, their eyes meeting in the dim light. They both began leaning forward, momentarily forgeting where they were before Jess pressed her hand against the Gilmore girl's abdomen to stop her.

"What?" Rory asked, a confused and disappointed expression on her face.

"Not here," Jess explained, stepping back againt the railing once again. "What if Lane or Paris come out?"

"Lane already said she's fine if we're together," Rory replied, then sighed in resignation. "But I see your point with Paris. I have no idea what she'd do if she found out about us. She's so insanely hard to read sometimes."

"I think I fucked up a little earlier, Ror," Jess winced, remembering what she accidently divulged to the blonde earlier.

"What'd you do?" Rory asked, worried.

"I kind of told Paris that I'm g-"

"Who's over there?" Dean asked from the street, startling both girls.

"He made rather good time, didn't he?" Jess muttered, quickly recovering. _Almost forgot he was coming over. Almost._

"Jess?" Dean asked, confused. "What are you- Rory?"

"We were just talking," Rory quickly said, like a kid who'd just been caught with their hand in the cookie jar.

"I'm going home," Jess declared, trying to hide the hurt in her voice. She rushed past Rory without looking at her face, but made sure to bump her shoulder into Dean as hard as she could on her way down the steps.

"Jess," Rory pleaded apologetically.

"What the hell?" Dean said, pushed back by the unexpected shove. "Watch where you're walking."

_Go fuck yourself,_ Jess sneered internally, not trusting her voice to say it out loud. She could already feel the tears welling up, despite her attempts to fight them back. _The both of you can go fuck yourselves._

(GG)

"Crap," Rory swore, feeling like a first class bitch. She noticed the hurt in Jess' tone, the way she refused to even say goodnight. All because of one careless remark, everything Rory had worked toward had gone to shit. All thanks to Dean Forester.

"What the hell is her problem?" Dean asked, glancing back at the retreating form of Jess.

"What are you doing here?" Rory snapped, deciding to take out all of her disappointment and anger on the tall boy in front of her.

"Like I said on the phone, I'm here to return your stuff," Dean explained, lifting a white cardboard box with his right hand for her to see. "And now I'm wondering what your problem is."

"My problem is that this night has turned into one giant disaster thanks to people who don't know how to mind their own damn business!" Rory shouted, her hands balled into tight fists at her side. She could feel herself beginning to unravel, but didn't care since it was better than thinking about the hurt look on Jess' face before she left. "First Paris, then Lane, then you! Nothing has gone the way I planned at all tonight!"

"Aren't you forgetting to include Jess in your little spiel?" Dean asked loudly, glaring down at her. "Why isn't she included with the rest of us?"

"Don't," Rory warned through clenched teeth.

"I don't see why you're even friends with her, Rory," Dean said at a near shout, ignoring the warning. "She's such a little bitch!"

For the first time she could ever remember, Rory couldn't stop herself long enough to think about her next action. Instead, she just reacted on instinct, which resulted in a very loud and resounding slap across the face for a very shocked Dean Forester.

"Stay away from me, Dean," Rory huffed, her hand throbbing in pain. "I mean it."

Dean stared at her in disbelief before dropping the box and walking away, like a man in a stupor, stumbling to keep his balance.

Rory turned and re-entered the house to find both Lane and Paris waiting in the foyer, each looking as shocked as Dean had when he'd left.

"You're not going to hit me, too?" Paris asked with slight fear, an unfamiliar sound coming from the usually intense blonde. "Are you, Gilmore?"

Rory stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Lane, bursting into tears as an uncomfortable Paris stood to their right.

"I don't exactly know what to do in this sort of situation," Paris stated, her earlier fear now replaced by confusion.

"Go make some coffee," Lane suggested, patting her friend's back. "I'll handle the rest."

**End scene.**

**You didn't actually think it was going to be smooth sailing for our girls from here on, did you? Was it as anybody expected? Did you at least enjoy it? Review after reading, please.**

**See you next update!**


	23. Subterfuge, Lane Kim Style

23 - Subterfuge, Lane Kim Style

Lane frowned, not really knowing what to do about her current situation. Being caught between two of her closest friends while said friends were on the outs was becoming extremely tiring, but Lane had no real choice since neither Rory or Jess were making any real attempt to talk to one another. While Lane didn't mind scheduling her time like she'd been doing for the last two weeks, she was beginning to wonder how much longer she could keep this up before one of the other girls demanded her to choose a side.

She was not looking forward to when that time finally arrived.

"This completely and utterly sucks," Lane groaned, laying on her back in her closet. She stared at her ceiling with a focus she didn't realize she had, trying to think of a way to make things right again. Lane had her left leg crossed over her right, kicking her foot in rhythm with the music blaring in her headphones, when inspiration hit via one of her textbooks.

Lane glanced down at the textbook that her hand had brushed up against, then sat up and smirked as a plan began to develop in her mind's eye.

_It's risky, _Lane thought with a frown. _But I don't want to know what'll happen if I do nothing._

Shutting her music off and exitting her closet, Lane grabbed her jacket from the back of her chair and headed towards her window, deciding now would be the best time to put the first (and most likely only) stage of her plan into action. Silently sliding the window open, she reached out and gripped onto a thick branch of the old nearby oak tree.

_Okay, I've seen Rory climb this tree before, I just have to do it in reverse,_ Lane thought before feeling some slight vertigo from glancing at the ground. Lane pulled her hand back, then shook her head to regain her resolve. She reached out again and felt the wood bit into her hand once more, then as gracefully as she could, Lane Kim was free from her bedroom and found herself outdoors after nine o'clock on a Friday night. _Jess would be so proud of me right now,_ Lane smiled, slowly climbing down the tree. _I kick so much-_

"Ass...!" Lane yelped before hitting the ground in a heap, her hand having slipped from the wooden purchace of the tree.

_That was smooth, Kim,_ Lane berated herself, rising from her lawn. She brushed herself off quickly, then rushed into the shadows, hoping that Mama Kim hadn't heard anything. _Lucky that was only a four foot fall, because that really could've hurt,_ Lane thought in relief as she headed towards her goal. _I just hope Jess isn't helping with close up at the diner, or this plan could be completely shot to hell before I even get it off the ground._

(GG)

Luke was just about to flip the sign to it's 'Closed' side when, who of all people, Lane Kim suddenly popped into his field of vision, making him jump slightly in surprise. She put her finger to her lips, then motioned for Luke to come outside. When he didn't move, her gesturing became more frantic.

_Might as well see what this is about,_ Luke sighed, rolling his eyes as he stepped outside.

"Hey, Luke," she greeted, smiling weakly at him.

"Does your mother know you're out after nine o'clock, Lane?" Luke asked, planting his hands on his hips.

"Is Jess helping you do close up?" Lane asked back, ignoring his question.

"No, she's upstairs doing her homework," he informed, hiking a thumb over his shoulder. "You want me to get her?"

"No," Lane shook her head, sounding relieved. "I didn't come here to see Jess."

"Did you come here for a latenight donut run or something?" Luke asked, thinking that this could be the only other reason for her latenight (by Stars Hollow standards) visit.

"Tempting, but I didn't come here for sugary goodness," Lane said, her voice low in a conspiratorial tone. "I came to talk to you, Luke."

Luke frowned, "I don't have time for your games right now, Lane."

"Fine," she sighed, adding in a hurt tone. "Kill the first real fun I've had in days."

"Lane," Luke pressed, giving her an impatient look.

"Jess is failing math, but doesn't want anybody to know," Lane blurted out, then hurriedly continued before Luke could cut in. "You didn't hear it from me though, okay? She'd kill me if she knew I was telling you this. You know how stubborn she can be, right?"

"And what exactly am I supposed to do about it, Lane?" Luke sighed, taking his hat off to run his fingers through his thinning hair. "I wasn't exactly known for my academic prowess back in high school, you know."

"Well, you have a certain female friend with a genius daughter, don't you, Butch?" Lane smiled up at him.

Luke was about to reprimand her for using his old (and much hated) high school nickname, but stopped when he realized that Lane had a good point.

"Well, I see you've got those wheels turning, so now I have to go sneak back into my house without Mama noticing," Lane grinned, which made Luke all sorts of uneasy for some reason. "Goodnight, Luke."

"Goodnight, Lane," Luke returned, more than a little baffled by the Korean girl's behavior. He shook his head, deciding that Lane was only looking out for her friend. He glanced over and shook his head as Lane headed around the corner to approach her home while in the shadows. He turned and headed back into the diner, chuckling at the encounter. Luke was glad that his niece had made a least one good friend in Stars Hollow since moving here, even if that friend was slightly nuts. _Lane's a good girl. A little weird, but she has a good heart._

Luke flicked the sign to it's closed side, and turned the lights off. _I'll talk to Lorelai tomorrow, see if she'll let me convince Rory into tutoring Jess in math,_ Luke thought, then sighed when he realized that Lorelai would probably get suspicious if he just showed up to talk to Rory for no apparent reason. _Looks like I'm making my special triple fudge brownies tomorrow morning. _

(GG)

"How did I get rooked into doing this again?" Lorelai asked, closing the gigantic binder that Taylor Doose had given her several days earlier.

"You volunteered," Rory answered, looking as tired of this subject as Lorelai felt about it.

"I did?" Lorelai asked in disbelief. "How could you let me do something so stupid?"

"I'm your daughter, not your babysitter," Rory muttered, leaning forward and planting her head onto her forearms.

Lorelai frowned, then shook her head. _Wish I knew what put you back in this funk, Rory._

"Marshmellow?" Lorelai asked, deciding that she'd continue with giving her daughter the space that Rory wanted, even if she didn't like it. _Besides, keeping things light is my specialty!_

Rory glanced up at that and smiled weakly, taking the offered food from her mother. "Thanks."

"I have now finished going through every single movie in this thing. And I've read each one, reviewed their merits, and I'm proud to announce that I've chosen our movie," Lorelai declared, letting her sentence hang before continuing in defeat. "How does 'the Yearling' sound to you?"

Rory laughed, "Perfect."

"And buh-bye," Lorelai cried, pushing the binder across the table with just enough force for the hated thing to slide over onto the floor with a clatter.

"I'm going go do some homework," Rory stated, getting up from her seat to Lorelai's right.

"Okay, Babe," Lorelai replied, just as there was a knock at the door. "Oh, that must be Pauline Kale risen from the dead!"

"Tell her I said hi," Rory called out before closing the bedroom door behind herself.

Lorelai leisurely made her way to answer the door, whipping it open to find Luke standing on the front porch, a small white cardboard box in his hand.

"Pauline," Lorelai greeted with a grin.

"What?" Luke asked, perplexed.

"Nevermind, it's not important," Lorelai shook her head, then smiled warmly at him. "So what brings you here?"

"Uh, I made brownies," Luke replied, a little hesitantly. "Thought you'd like some."

"Oh, gee," Lorelai scratched her chin as if in deep thought. "Since I just ate half a bag of marshmellows, six pop tarts, four bagel dogs and a real stale Cheese Nip-" She smirked at his disgusted expression before continuing. "Yup, it's brownie time."

"Your rubber stomach never ceases to revolt me," Luke shook his head.

"Oh, I have a question," Lorelai said, grabbing the box from Luke.

"Yeah?"

"You probably have a diner full of people who would love these brownies," Lorelai smiled, hefting the box up into his view. "And plus I bet they'd probably be willing to pay for them, so-"

"Well, I accidently poured triple the amount of cocoa powder into the batter, so I either had to dump the batch or find somebody with a superhuman tolerence to chocolate. And only one name came to mind..."

"God, I love being special," Lorelai beamed at him.

"Special how?" Luke smirked.

"Mean," Lorelai pouted.

"So, is Rory here?" Luke asked suddenly, trying to sound casual about the inquiry.

"What?" Lorelai asked, wondering what Luke could possible want with her daughter.

"I kind of need to ask her something," Luke stated, not moving from his spot.

Lorelai stepped back, inviting him in. "She's in her room."

"Thanks," Luke nodded before walking past her.

"Now don't try anything unbecoming, or I'll have to call Sheriff Crosby on you, Lucas," Lorelai teased, following him to Rory's door.

"Okay, that's just sick, Lorelai," Luke grimaced, then proceeded to knock on it. "Hey, Rory, it's Luke. Can I come in?"

The door opened to reveal Rory standing, holding the door with her hand. "Hey, what's up?"

"Not much," Luke replied, then pointed inside. "Can I...?"

"Come in," Rory nodded, moving aside to allow their burly diner man into her bedroom. "Sorry about the mess."

Lorelai watched as Luke glanced back and forth in confusion before continuing the conversation. "So, you're studying."

"Yup."

"That's good, what you're doing with the books," Luke babbled, causing Lorelai to snicker under her breath. He apparently chose to ignore her, deciding to keep up with his babbling. "Studying is a very, very good thing, Rory."

Rory glanced at Lorelai with a questioning glance before replying. "Um, thank you."

"Okay, I came over here to ask you a favor," Luke started, hesistant before starting again. "Oh, um, I was wondering if you could tutor Jess in math."

"Excuse me?" Rory asked, looking as though she'd just been blind-sided by a bus.

"She's flunking math and I don't want her repeating just because she's too proud to ask for help on a bunch of numbers," Luke explained, shifting his weight from left to right nervously.

"That doesn't make-" Rory began before frowning in thought, which made Lorelai think that her daughter was about to shoot the idea down. She'd noticed some tension between the girls as of late, especially considering the snarky comments they exchanged during the town meeting last week. _They could've picked a better time to get all bitchy at each other. Especially since Luke was trying to get the war re-enactors to help in Louie's funeral at that meeting. Wonder what could've set them at odds this time?_

"Look, if you can't do it-" Luke began, taking Rory's hesitation as an emminent refusal.

"I'll do it," Rory interupted, then quickly added. "But only on one condition."

Luke breathed a sigh of relief before saying, "Anything, just name it."

"She listens to me no matter what, there will be no questioning of my methods or this doesn't happen," Rory stated.

"I'll see what I can do, Rory, but I can't promise you anything solid right now," Luke shrugged. "She's kind of been all moody and cranky as of late."

_Looks like I'm not the only one with a persnickety teenager on their hands,_ Lorelai thought.

"Well, when do you need me to do this?" Rory asked.

"Tonight?" Luke asked in a tone that sounded almost timid. "If it's possible, that is."

"I'll be there around seven," Rory confirmed. "Just make sure she's ready when I get there."

"I really appreciate this," Luke said, standing up from the bed where he'd been seated for the duration of the conversation. "I don't really expect miracles, but if you could just help her out for the next few assignments, that'd be great."

"Alright," Rory nodded.

"Well, then," Luke stated awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck. "I guess I should go and let you get back to studying, otherwise you're useless to me."

"See you, Luke," Rory waved as he left the room to join Lorelai back in the kitchen.

"Bye, Rory," he waved back, then turned to face Lorelai as the bedroom door clicked shut behind him. "Okay, so I'll see you guys back at the diner later, right?"

"Tutoring, huh?" Lorelai asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"I know that tone," Luke sighed, sitting down at the table. "Out with it."

"I'm not really sure this is a good idea, Luke," Lorelai explained, sitting down in the chair Rory had been sitting at before Luke had shown up.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I've noticed that they've been a little confrontational towards each other as of late," Lorelai stated, flicking her hair away from her eyes.

"They have? Really?" Luke asked, getting that cute perplexed look once again. If this conversation weren't so important, Lorelai might have jumped him just then. She found that'd she'd been having these thoughts more and more often, ever since their mattress incident a few weeks ago.

_No time for that kind of thinking, Lorelai,_ she chided herself before nodding. "Yeah, don't you remember their little argument during the town meeting last week? How they kept trying to glare the other one down?"

"I can honestly say I didn't, Lorelai," Luke shook his head. "I was a little busy with all the preparations for Louie's funeral and everything, remember?" He sighed, then shook his head again. "I suck at this parenting thing, Lorelai."

"You're doing an alright job so far, Luke," Lorelai assured, placing her hand on his shoulder. "Just because you got distracted by another family emergency, doesn't mean you're a complete failure. If it did, then I think I should hand my parenting certificate in right now, because lately, I've sucked it hardcore as well."

"You're just placating me now, aren't you?" Luke snorted, giving her a slight smirk.

"Maybe just a little," Lorelai smiled, measuring a space between her index finger and thumb.

"Well, I gotta head back to the diner, make sure Jess hasn't burnt down my life's work," Luke said, returning her smile. Lorelai was a little startled when he squeezed her knee, but didn't say anything about it since it probably meant nothing. "Thanks for the talk."

"No problem," she replied, watching him as he left out the front door.

Lorelai let out a deep breath. _I don't think I can take anymore of these moments we've been having lately._

(GG)

As soon as Luke exitted the bedroom, Rory plopped backwards onto her bed and let out a soft sigh. While she knew this was an opportunity she couldn't let slip through her fingers, Rory was at a loss on how everything would happen. Their last conversation wasn't exactly the best of meetings, with both girls exchanging verbal barbs and cold stares.

"How did things get so screwed up?" Rory asked aloud, closing her eyes.

It was about a minute or so later when the expected knock at the door came, signalling to Rory that her mother wanted to know what was going on.

"Hey, kiddo," her mom greeted, opening the door an inch or two to look inside. "Can I come in?"

"Come in," Rory replied, sitting up and pressing her palms onto the bedsheet.

The door opened and Lorelai walked inside, choosing to lean back against the nearest dresser. "You sure you want to do this?"

"Do what? Tutor?" Rory asked back, unable to keep herself from smiling. "I don't mind. It's a favor for Luke, right?"

"Just as long as you're sure, Rory," Lorelai answered, planting her palms on the cidar dresser top.

"What is it?" Rory asked, knowing something was bothering her mother.

"I've noticed how...tense you and Jess have been with each other and I'm not entirely sure if this is a good idea," Lorelai replied with a shrug. "Especially after how you two-"

"It'll be fine, Mom," Rory assured her, immediately knowing that Lorelai was about to reference her mini-argument with Jess at the last town meeting. "In fact, I'm thinking this might be the perfect opportunity for us to patch things up."

"Fighting with friends sucks," Lorelai nodded.

"Yeah, that's what enemies are for," Rory agreed.

"And God knows we both have plenty of those, huh?"

"Yeah."

"Yeah."

An awkward moment passed by before Lorelai broke it with a question.

"Should you being doing this, Rory?"

"Why shouldn't I do this?" Rory asked back.

"I mean, you get tons of homework from Chilton and this'll just take away time that could be used for your own studying. Instead of doing that though, you'll be trying to help a girl who is obviously bright enough to pass all of her classes on her own," she elorated, looking Rory directly in the eye. "So I ask again, should you be doing this?"

"It'll be fine, Mom," Rory assured again, beginning to get annoyed with this merry-go-round conversation.

"Okay, fine," Lorelai sighed, finally taking the hint. "I'll drop it, but just make sure that you leave enough time for your own homework, okay?"

"Okay, Mom, I'll keep that in mind," Rory smiled, nodding at her.

"Thanks," Lorelai nodded back, pushing herself from the dresser and leaving her daughter's room.

Rory let out a breath before rising from her bed to prepare for the coming tutoring session.

(GG)

"I'm failing what now?" Jess asked in complete disbelief.

"Math," Luke repeated, staring at her sternly.

"This is news to me," Jess scoffed, wondering how Luke had reached this absurd conclusion. Sure, math was her weakest subject, but Jess was far from failing the class. Hell, she was in the top three percentile of the entire junior class. Or she would be, if she actually applied herself. At least that's what Miss Roberts was always telling her in Biology class.

"Jess!"

"Huh?" Jess asked, looking up at her uncle's scowling face. _Okay, he's pissed. Should've been paying attention, I guess._

"Have you even heard a word I've said in the last thirty seconds?" Luke demanded, glaring down at her.

"Um, would you believe me if I said yes?" Jess smirked back uneasily.

"Get your math homework ready, and head downstairs at seven o'clock," Luke ordered, using his most authoritive tone.

"Why?"

"Just do it," Luke growled before spinning on his heel to leave the apartment.

"Yes, sir, Cap'n Diner Man," Jess saluted his back. When her uncle was gone, she returned to her previous activity of watching TV. Jess sat there watching the television for the next half hour before getting the phone call from Luke, yelling at the girl to get her skinny ass downstairs.

"Fine," Jess said, rolling her eyes. "I'll be right down, you giant spaz."

Hanging up the phone, Jess wandered over to her just recently finished bedroom to locate her homework. She grasped the worn textbook and tucked her binder underneath it, then walked out of the apartment to join Luke downstairs like her uncle had demanded. Jess was beginning to wonder if Luke was going to attempt to tutor her, which amused her to no end, when she stepped through the blue curtain to find Rory sitting calmly at the counter, as though she were waiting for something.

Or somebody.

She then noticed that there were school books situated on the counter near the younger Gilmore girl, who was giving Jess a smug little smile as she sipped her coffee. A quick moment of confusion entered her mind before Jess realized why Rory was there, which immediately caused her to grit her teeth.

"You have got to be fucking kidding me," Jess swore, rolling her eyes in annoyance.

**End Scene**

**Sorry for the extremely long wait, but I had a hard time in deciding on how I was going to move the plot forward after the end the last chapter. I finally decided to skip all the melodrama and dip into some of the parts that have been haunting me since I began the fic.**

**While the events of 'Dead Uncles & Vegetables' and 'Back In the Saddle' still (more or less) take place, please keep in mind that I've decided to skip them since stated episodes have little to no relevent Literati interaction contained therein. Well, at least in my opinion anyway. Maybe I'm just being lazy. Whatever.**

**Anyhow, thanks for reading and please feel to review.**

**P.S. - Don't worry people, Paris will have a POV in the next chapter.**


	24. Darkness & Light, Hope & Fear

24 - Darkness & Light, Hope & Fear

"You have got to be fucking kidding me," Jess swore, rolling her eyes in obvious annoyance.

"Jess," Luke snapped, causing the girl to jump a little despite herself.

Rory attempted to stifle a giggle, but found that she was unsuccessful when Jess glared at her. Rory smirked and raised her arms up, shaking her head as if to say, 'I didn't do anything!'

"What?" Jess asked, frowning up at her uncle.

"A word in the kitchen, please," Luke said, then added when Jess shook her head to the negative. "Now!"

"Fine," Jess sneered, stomping past him into the kitchen. Luke soon followed, where a heated, yet muted conversation ensued. Rory couldn't hear what was being said, but when the two returned Luke looked very annoyed while Jess seemed very satisfied with herself.

"Quit being an ass and get studying," Luke ordered, pointing in Rory's direction.

"Hey, teach," Jess greeted, leaning against the back counter opposite of Rory.

"Hello, Jess," Rory greeted back in an overly polite tone.

"So you ready to get down to studying?" Jess asked, smirking at her.

"Uh, not quite done my coffee," Rory replied, a little confused by the other girl's sudden mood shift. Jess could be so hard to read sometimes that it scared Rory.

"Well, when you're done, I'll be right over there," Jess said, pointing to an empty table near the window. "I just can't wait for the learning to begin. Oh, are we gonna do some of those funky Schoolhouse Rock songs?"

"Jess," Luke growled, warning her not to push her luck.

Jess chose to ignore him, continuing in her sarcastic tone. "Because if you can make learning fun-"

"Jessica Lucille Mariano," Luke snapped.

"Oh, full name," Rory taunted playfully, smiling at the other girl. "Somebody's in trouble."

"Such a spaz," Jess sighed, walking away towards the table without giving her uncle so much as a glance.

Luke walked up to Rory's seat, his expression apologetic. "Sorry about that."

"It's okay," Rory smiled at him.

"Hello, mind going to waste over here," Jess called from the table.

"One of these days," Luke began.

"Pow, to the moon?" Rory finished, quirking her eyebrows.

"Exactly," Luke nodded.

"Well, time to tutor," Rory stated, standing up from her stool. "Wish me luck."

"You're going to need it," Luke chuckled.

"I can hear you guys, you know that, right?" Jess asked, causing Rory to roll her eyes.

Rory turned and made her way over to the table where Jess was seated, sitting across from the other girl. Placing her books down, she glanced at Jess and realized that the brunette didn't have any books. "Where are your books?"

"I don't know," Jess shrugged.

"Jess," Rory frowned.

"They're right here," Luke declared, plopping the books in front of Jess, who glared up at him. Luke pointed down at her. "Behave," he ordered, then walked away.

"Behave," she said in her best Luke imitation, which wasn't very good to begin with.

"Very mature," Luke called out over his shoulder. Jess stuck her tongue out, then turned to Rory with an intense glare.

"Shall we get to work?" Rory asked, giving the other girl her brightest smile.

(GG)

"Why are you being so difficult?" Rory asked, giving Jess that cute little annoyed look she was prone to do.

"Pick a card," Jess said, sticking a deck of cards out for the other girl to grab. Instead of co-operating though, Rory chose to knock the cards out of her hands and onto the floor. "Okay, that trick just got a tad bit more difficult."

"I need you to focus, Jess," Rory ordered.

"Really now?" Jess smirked, seeing how far she could push the blue eyed beauty in front of her before she snapped. Just because she'd coerced Luke into giving her the next two Saturdays off in order to play along with this ridiculous tutor session, it didn't mean Jess couldn't have some fun getting under Rory's skin. Besides, Rory had it coming.

"Yes, we do," Rory answered, in what Jess recognized as her no-nonsense tone.

"So, are you and Bag Boy back together?" Jess asked, attempting to goad her.

"We're studying, Jess," Rory replied, evading the question.

"You're studying, I'm prying into your personal life," Jess clarified.

Rory sighed, then shook her head. "No, we're not."

"Why not?" Jess asked.

"You should know the answer to that," Rory stated, meeting her eyes. Jess could see the pain in the other girl's eyes, pain that she could relate towards since it's exactly how she'd been feeling for the last few weeks.

_No,_ Jess resolved herself, not wanting to give into Rory like she had before. _You're not getting off that easy this time, Gilmore._

"You're the one who was too embarr-" Jess began after an awkward silence, only to be interupted by the younger Gilmore girl.

"I haven't changed my mind, you know," Rory blurted out, who looked embarrassed by her sudden declaration.

Jess scoffed in disbelief. "Yeah, right."

"You can be so damned stubborn," Rory sighed, crossing her arms across her chest.

"Says the raven to the crow," Jess retorted.

"I'm tired of fighting with you," Rory said, giving her the most earnest expression Jess had ever seen.

_Don't look at me like that,_ Jess thought, feeling her 'no more Rory' stance desolving. _You don't realize what sort of hold you have on me. Please stop looking at me like that. I can't take it!_

"Jess?" Rory asked in a concerned tone.

"You still have my...my jacket?" Jess asked back with a slight hitch, desperate for a subject change. She turned her gaze away so Rory couldn't see her conflicted expression, cursing her voice for betraying her like it did.

"Yeah."

"I want it back."

"Then let's head to my house and get it," Rory suggested, then got up out of her seat and headed to the counter. "Luke?"

"Yeah?" Luke answered, poking his head out from the kitchen.

"There are too many distractions here, so we're going to continue studying at my house," Rory informed.

"Uh, if you think that's what's best," Luke frowned, glancing around at the near empty diner. "Then you go ahead and do that. I'm just a phone call away if she gives you trouble."

"You talk like I'm a five year old, Luke," Jess said, joining them at the counter. She had already had her books tucked under her arm, thinking that she might as well follow through with the charade.

"Well-"

"Let's go already," Jess said, cutting him off.

"Bye, Luke," she heard Rory say to the diner owner a moment later, exitting Luke's after Jess.

"Just so you know, I'm still pissed at you," Jess stated when Rory had finally caught up to her. "So don't go thinking that everything is hunky-dorey between us again, because it isn't."

"Yeah, well, I can't really blame you for being pissed," Rory replied, struggling with the brisk pace that Jess had set. "Jeez, slow down, will you?"

"You have seriously got to get in shape, Gilmore," Jess chided, stopping to let Rory catch her breath.

"I'm trying, but you're making it kind of hard for me with your attitude," Rory breathed.

"I meant literally," Jess chuckled. "You have no stamina whatsoever."

Rory glared at her, then suddenly smirked at Jess. "I'll show you no stamina when we get to my house."

"Are you flirting with me?" Jess asked in disbelief.

"Maybe?" Rory replied with uncertainty.

Jess scoffed before continuing towards the Crap Shack, smiling to herself as she walked away from the other girl.

"Oh, you suck," Rory griped.

(GG)

_I rock so hard,_ Lane smiled as she placed her binoculars down onto the window sill, having watched the entire exchange between her two best friends. She was afraid that her plan hadn't worked until she noticed their body language, the obvious romantic tension given off by Jess and Rory. Well, obvious to Lane anyway.

"I wonder where they're going though?" Lane pondered aloud.

"Lane?" Mrs. Kim called downstairs.

"Yes, Mama?" Lane called back.

"Come down and eat," Mama Kim said in her usual tone. "Supper is ready."

"Coming, Mama," Lane answered loudly. She turned to join her mother for supper, but not before giving her handywork one last look. "Yeah, I rock so hard," she smiled, feeling extremely proud of herself.

(GG)

"Mom?" Rory called out, listening for a reply before stepping inside. "You home?"

"I didn't see the jeep outside, so I doubt she's here, Rory," Jess said from behind her.

"Probably headed over to the Inn," Rory deduced, motioning for Jess to follow her to her bedroom.

"I'm fine where I am," Jess stated, not moving from her spot in the foyer.

"I'll just be a minute then," Rory sighed, leaving the other girl to her own devices. She stopped a moment to remember where she'd placed the jacket, then pulled open the doors to her wardrobe. Rory scanned the various items of clothing within, then grabbed the denim jacket when she'd located it. She placed the jacket against her chest quickly, as she had so many times since their failed first date, hoping that everything would work out in the end. Rory could still smell the other girl's perfume on it, all the while wondering how she could make it up to Jess for everything that had happened. "Please don't let me have fucked this up too badly," she whispered, feeling tears threatening to escape.

"Rory?" Jess called from the foyer.

"Coming," Rory rasped, struggling to compose herself. Taking a deep breath, Rory rejoined the girl who'd captured her heart.

"What are these to?" Jess asked, holding up a set of keys for Rory to see.

"My car," Rory answered, suddenly remembering the car that Dean had restored for her. _I probably should've returned those when I gave the bracelet back,_ she thought with a frown. _Can't believe I forgot to do that!_

"You have a car?" Jess asked, quirking an eyebrow at her.

"It's around back, under a tarp," Rory nodded, unsure of what Jess was getting at. "I don't drive it all that much, to tell you the truth. It's kind of a piece of junk."

Jess smirked at her, her expression mischevious.

"Whatever it is you're thinking, Jess," Rory said in her sternest voice, shaking her head. "No."

"I was thinking ice cream and a movie," Jess smiled, placing her books onto the counter near the front door.

"We're supposed to be studying, remember?" Rory reminded, handing Jess her jacket.

"I'm not actually failing math, so we're just wasting time with studying," Jess dismissed, spinning the keyring on her index finger.

"What?" Rory asked, confused by this developement. "Then why did Luke ask me to tutor you?"

"No idea," Jess shrugged.

"I smell a rat," Rory frowned after thinking on it for a moment.

"You thinking what I'm thinking?" Jess asked, catching on.

"Lane," they said at the same time.

"That girl is so sneaky," Jess stated, still spinning the keys on her finger. "I'm impressed."

"You've obviously been a bad influence on her," Rory chuckled, snatching the keys from the other girl. "I'm driving."

"If you're driving, then I get to choose the movie," Jess replied, following her out the door.

(GG)

"I can't believe you dragged me out to watch that crap," Paris complained, angry that Madeline and Louise had practically kidnapped her to see the newest Ben Affleck movie.

"I need to use the washroom," Madeline declared, ignoring her.

"Oh, so do I," Louise piped, causing Paris to roll her eyes. "Paris?"

"I'm fine," Paris waved them away. "I'll wait out by the car for you guys."

"We won't be long," Madeline promised.

"Uh-huh," Paris nodded, not really caring if they did or not. She just wanted to go home.

"Ooh, that movie was so great," she heard Louise giggle.

"Oh, I totally agree," Madeline squealed.

Paris shook her head, walking out of the theatre to where she'd parked her Jaguar. She had reached the halfway point to the parking spot when she heard a familiar voice come from the darkness ahead, causing Paris to stop dead in her tracks.

"So, you still mad at me?"

_That's Gilmore, _Paris thought, instantly recognizing her schoolmate's voice. _Did she and Dean get back together?_

"If you come over here, you'll find out," another girl's voice said in a flirtatious tone, who also sounded familiar to Paris. It took a moment before she recognized the owner of that particular voice.

_That's Jess,_ Paris realized, her eyes going wide. Another moment passed by before the unmistakable sound of kissing could be heard, causing Paris to step forward to get a better view. What she saw made her gasp in surprise, as Jess had Rory pressed against a van, both girls involved in a heated makeout session. _What the hell?_

"Did you hear that?" Jess asked suddenly, which caused Paris to hide behind a nearby parked SUV in fear of being discovered.

"Paranoid, much?" Rory teased.

"We should probably be heading back to the hollow anyway," Jess sighed.

"So does this mean we're back together?" Rory asked hopefully, causing the blonde to place a hand over her mouth to prevent another surprised gasp from escaping.

"We'll see, Rory," Jess answered, followed by the sound of a car door being closed. Paris waited for the other door to open and close before letting her hand off her own mouth.

"Holy shit," Paris swore, not believing what she'd just witnessed as the junky blue car drove away.

(GG)

Lorelai had just stepped into the kitchen when the phone began to ring.

"Hello?" Lorelai greeted after picking up the cordless receiver.

"Mom?" Rory's voice came back over the line.

"Oh, Rory," Lorelai smiled, happy to hear that it was her daughter on the other side. "Great. Tell me, was it the China Ball, China Doll, or China Wall that had the really awesome shrimp balls?"

"I think it was the China Doll," Rory answered, her voice sounding strained to Lorelai.

"Rory, honey?" Lorelai asked, suddenly worried. "What's the matter?"

"I need you to be calm," Rory said, her voice cracking slightly near the end.

"What do I need to be calm about?" Lorelai asked, fear creeping into her chest.

"Calm about what I'm about to tell you," Rory said, sounding as though she was on the verge of tears.

"What?" Lorelai asked, her heart rate increasing rapidly. "Where are you?"

"I'm alright, Mom," Rory assured her, though her tone told Lorelai otherwise.

"Thank God," Lorelai breathed, relieved to hear that.

"But Jess," Rory whimpered, starting to cry. "She hit her head and she hasn't woken up yet."

"What? How?" Lorelai asked, confused.

"We got in...an accident and...Mom, I'm scared," Rory hic-cupped before being overcome with emotion.

"I'll be right down," Lorelai assured her daughter before hanging up the phone, feeling sick to her stomach as she rushed out the front door.

_Please let them be alright,_ Lorelai prayed, starting her jeep. _Please, God, please!_

**Just when the girls were getting back on track...**

**Okay, so it's not my best, but I hope you guys like it enough to review.**

**Anyhow, the next chapter won't take nearly as long to come out. I hope so, anyway.**

**I'm also not really satisfied with the chapter's title, but it's the best I could come up with.**

**Thanks for reading and see you next update!**


	25. Confessions, Regressions, Transgressions

25 - Confessions, Regressions, Transgressions

Rory sat alone on the bench, her eyes glued to the soft cast on her left wrist. Her arm didn't really hurt all that much. It was just a little sore, but that was probably because of the painkiller that the nurse had administered to her a half hour earlier.

"Is there anybody we can call for your friend?"

Rory glanced up with wide eyes, then nodded to the nurse who'd adressed her.

"And that would be?"

"Her uncle, Luke Danes," Rory informed in a small voice. "He owns the diner on Main."

"Thank you, Miss Gilmore," the nurse replied before returning to whatever she'd been doing.

"You're welcome," she whispered, returning her attention back to her injured wrist. A moment went by before an unpleasant image from earlier flashed in her mind's eye, that of an unconscious Jess draped over the steering wheel. Rory shook her head, hoping to dislodge the memory, while simultaniously trying to keep tears from falling.

"Rory?" Lorelai called out a few minutes later, bringing her daughter's gaze back up. "Are you okay?"

"It's just my wrist," Rory told her mother, forcing her voice to be steady.

"What happened?" Lorelai inquired, then pressed at Rory's hesistation. "Rory."

"We went for a ride after studying, for some ice cream and stuff," she explained, deciding to do some editing of the truth. "And then something jumped in front of the car and we cr..crash..ed..."

"It'll be okay," Lorelai soothed, hugging her tightly. They sat like this for about a minute when Lorelai asked the question that Rory was hoping she wouldn't. "Who was driving?"

"I was," Rory lied without a second thought.

"Rory..."

"I was driving, Mom," she repeated, disengaging from Lorelai's embrace to hug herself.

"Rory," she pressed again, using her 'Mommy knows you're lying' tone.

"When does Luke get here?" Rory asked, changing the subject.

"Um," her mother hesitated.

"Please tell me you didn't rush over here without calling him," she sighed.

"I kind of forgot to do that since my kid called me from the freaking Emergency Room!" Lorelai defended.

Rory was about to reply, only to be interrupted by the doors opening almost violently behind them, revealing a wide-eyed Luke Danes rushing inside.

"Where is she?" Luke demanded, walking past them towards reception.

The repectionist glanced up at him. "Are you here for Miss Mariano?"

"Yes, I am," he replied with obvious forced calm.

"Please wait while I get the doctor, Mister Danes," she requested before disappearing down the hall.

"Luke," Lorelai called him over.

"Lorelai, Rory," he turned, walking over to them. "What happened?"

Rory told him what she'd told her mother, only this time managing to keep her voice steady throughout.

"Who was driving?" Luke asked when Rory was done.

"I was," she lied again, ignoring her mother's knowing frown.

"Mister Danes?"

"Is Jess okay?" Luke asked, turning to the doctor who had spoken.

"Your niece Jessica should be fine, Mister Danes, but we can't be absolutely sure until she wakes up, so I'd like to keep her overnight for observation," the doctor answered, meeting Luke's intense gaze. "She took quite a knock to the head and may have a concussion. She also needed stitches for a small laceration on her hairline, which was caused by the rearview mirror striking her head."

"But she's going to be fine, right?" Rory piped in, unable to keep quiet any longer.

"Yes, your friend should be fine," he nodded to her, then turned back to Luke. "She may need a change of clothes though, since her current clothing is spotted with blood."

"Okay, thanks," Luke nodded, letting out a relieved breath at the news that Jess was fine. "I'll get right on that, but I was wondering if it would okay to see her first."

"Of course. She's resting in room 12," the doctor informed, then motioned to the door. "Follow me."

Rory watched the two men walk through the doors before moving to follow, but she didn't get the chance because her mother stopped her.

"Why'd you lie to me?" Lorelai frowned at her daughter, disappointed.

"What did I lie about?" she countered, evading the question.

"Rory..."

"I'm going to check on Jess now," Rory stated in annoyed tone, quickly making her way around Lorelai to head after Luke and the doctor, which left her mother fuming in the waiting room by herself.

(GG)

_She looks so small, like a little kid, _Luke noted, blue eyes locked onto his unconscious niece.

"Luke?" Rory's timid voice called from the doorway.

"Rory?" Luke turned to her, then motioned to her cast. "How's your arm?"

"Small fracture, no big deal," she shrugged.

"If you get an itch underneath, don't use a pencil to scratch it," Luke advised wryly.

"I'll keep that in mind, thanks," Rory nodded.

A moment went by where neither seemed to know what to say to the other.

"I hate hospitals," he stated all of a sudden.

"I know, you do," the young girl said, then began to explain at the confused expression he threw her way. "I remember how you kept staring at your shoes last Christmas when my grandfather had his heart scare."

"Where's your mom?" Luke asked, noticing for the first time that Lorelai was not with her daughter.

"Out in the waiting room, I think," she answered, sitting down in the chair next to the bed. "I snuck in here to keep Jess company while you go grab her a change of clothes." She glanced over at him, her expression pleading. "If that's okay with you, that is?"

"Alright, I'll inform the doctor," he agreed, then left Rory to do just that. He found the doctor in the hall and told him that Rory was in the room, and headed out towards home. He made it almost a hundred feet from the entrance before noticing the click of heels following behind him, telling Luke that Lorelai had joined the diner owner outside. Luke continued to walk though, just wanting to finish his task as quickly as possible so he could get back to Jess.

"Would you slow down?" Lorelai complained.

"I'm in a hurry, Lorelai," he told her curtly, his worry for his niece making Luke slightly irritable. "I need to grab some clothes for Jess before she wakes up and raises hell for having to wear a paper gown."

"Seems all that girl does is cause trouble," she muttered, causing Luke to stop dead in his tracks.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Luke all but growled.

"Nothing, forget I said anything," Lorelai shook her head.

"No, Lorelai, you definitely meant something by that," he insisted.

Lorelai sighed, then met his gaze. "Rory lied, Luke. Jess was driving."

Luke shook his head at her in disbelief, then turned and began stalking away from her.

"Luke," she began.

"Save it, Lorelai," Luke cut her off, spinning on his heel to face her. "I don't want to hear it. I get enough of this crap from Taylor and I don't need it from you!"

"You're putting me in the same catagory as Taylor?" Lorelai asked, incredulous.

"I can't believe you'd accuse Jess of this," he scowled, then began to stalk away again because Luke felt his temper starting to flare up. "I thought you liked her."

"Well, I liked her just fine until she got my kid injured and has her lying to protect her!" Lorelai snapped, rushing after him again.

"Don't push this, Lorelai," Luke warned, continuing to walk at a brisk pace.

Lorelai ignored the warning though, her voice raising slightly higher. "Why did you bring her here, Luke? She's been nothing but trouble for you since she arrived!"

"She's family, Lorelai," he said over his shoulder, wondering why she was pushing this subject so ardently when he thought she'd be the first to understand. "I have an obligation to help her!"

"Obligation?" Lorelai practically shrieked. "What about your obligation to me? Or to Rory? To the town?"

"Okay, that is it!" Luke bellowed, turning to face her. "Listen to me when I say this, Lorelai, because I'm only saying it once. Contrary to whatever everybody in this stupid little town believes, my whole world does not revolve around you and your little whims. Now you know that I care about Rory, even more so than I care about myself, but I've got to take care of Jess now and make sure she's alright. And if that gets in the way of your little tantrem, then that's just too damn bad!"

"Go to hell!" Lorelai screamed.

"Right back at you," he sneered before stomping away in a huff.

(GG)

Lorelai spun on her heel back in the opposite direction of Luke, striding purposefully to gather her daughter and take Rory back to the house. Forcibly, if that's what it would take. She couldn't understand why Rory lied to her, wondering why her usually honest daughter had covered for the other girl so readily. It completely flumoxed Lorelai, especially since Rory and Jess had been so hostile to one another as of late.

"I'm just going to grab my daughter, who's in room 12 with Jess Mariano," she explained quickly to the receptionist, who nodded at her in recognition.

Lorelai walked down the hall towards her destination, slowing her pace as she came closer to where she would find her daughter. Just when she was about to enter though, the older Gilmore girl stopped at the sound of Rory's desperate voice.

"Come on, Jess," she pleaded, who Lorelai noticed was gripping the other girl's hand from the doorway. "Please wake up before Luke gets back."

Lorelai swallowed, her mouth dry. _I really shouldn't be eavesdropping like this._

"I know we shouldn't have gone to Hartford tonight," Rory continued with a slight rasp. "I didn't really want to watch that horrible movie or...eat, eat that ice cream, I just wanted to spend time with you again. That, and you had to go flash that smirk at me, didn't you? God, I'm such a sucker for that stupid little smirk of yours. I love that smirk."

_What? _Lorelai frowned, not quite understanding what her daughter could mean.

"I also missed you so damn much," she added, sniffling. "I'm sorry if I hurt you on the porch, but I just panicked and ended up doing exactly what I promised I wouldn't do to you." Rory took a steadying breath before going on. "I guess, what I'm trying to say is...um..."

_Just what is going on between you two?_ She wondered as Rory brought the other girl's hand to her cheek.

"I love you, Jess," Rory stated, kissing the back of the other girl's hand lovingly. "So, please be alright."

Lorelai quietly stepped back, suddenly feeling like an intruder on the scene. She walked down the hall a little ways before leaning against the wall, staring up at the lights in shock at what she'd just learned about her daughter.

_I can't handle this on my own,_ Lorelai decided, overwhelmed at everything that had happened to her tonight. Between her argument with Luke, Rory's accident and the subsequent confession to Jess, Lorelai had reached her limit. She pulled her cellphone out and hit the first number to pop into her head.

Three rings later, a familiar voice answered. "Hello?"

"Christopher," Lorelai whimpered.

(GG)

_Ouch,_ Jess winced in pain, shutting her eyes against the bright lights blinding her, exacerbating the sharp pain already stabbing her brain. _Where the hell am I?_

"Jess?" Rory asked, obviously concerned. Everything came rushing back, which just caused more pain for Jess. "You awake?"

"Skull hurts," she groaned, bring a hand to her head.

"Thank God that you're alright," Rory breathed in relief, grasping onto her free hand tightly. "I don't know what I would've done if I los-"

"I love you," Jess interrupted, surprising even herself with the sudden confession.

"What?"

"I love you," she repeated, deciding it was already too late to take it back. "Just thought you should know."

"Jess, I-" Rory began.

"You don't have to say it back, Rory," Jess assured her, then noticed that Lorelai had just entered the room. "Hey, Lorelai."

"Come on, Rory, let's go home now," the older Gilmore said coldly, ignoring the greeting.

"No," Rory shook her head. "I'm staying here."

"Rory," Jess decided cut in, not wanting to be the cause of an argument between Rory and her mother. "You should probably go."

"Jess," she whined.

Jess squeezed her hand, smiling at her. "I'll be fine."

"If you're sure..."

"Hey, they have painkillers here, so I'll be great," she joked.

"Call me when you get out, okay?" Rory asked, giving her the dreaded Gilmore pout.

"Okay," she nodded in agreement. She watched as Rory stalked angrily past her mother, who rolled her eyes before following after the younger Gilmore girl.

A moment or so later, the doctor showed up and began asking her questions, which Jess answered with slight annoyance. It was sometime during the doctor's questioning that Luke had snuck into the room to take a seat near the door.

"How you feeling?" Luke asked when the doctor had finally left, looking extremely uncomfortable.

"Like my head is four times too large for my shoulders," she answered honestly. "And I gotta say that the feeling I'm gonna toss my cookies all over the floor is a fun bonus!"

"Concussions are fun, aren't they?" Luke snorted, sounding like he knew what Jess was going through. Physically, anyway.

"Huge fun," she agreed, then apologized with a sigh. "Sorry if I ruined any plans you might have had tonight."

"I was just closing up the diner when I got the call, so there wasn't much to disrupt," he shrugged, placing his hand on her shoulder. "As long as you're going to be fine, it doesn't really matter."

"Lorelai's pretty pissed at me, isn't she?" Jess asked after an awkward silence passed by.

"I brought you a change of clothes," Luke informed, avoiding the question.

She winced, "That bad, huh?"

"You have no idea," he sighed, running a hand over his face.

**End scene**

**Okay, it's a little short, but at least it's an update, right?**

**Anyhow, thanks for reading and please review.**

**See you next time, people!**


	26. Family Dynamics

_Previously on 'Gilmore Girls: A Different Sort of Rebel'..._

_Luke's niece Jessica, who prefers to go by Jess, arrives in Stars Hollow. She becomes fast friends with Lane by rescuing her from some bullies. Later on Jess meets Rory and the two share an immediate rapport which stirs feelings in Rory that confuses the younger Gilmore girl. The two girls share a kiss that further confuses Rory, who hurts Jess by denying their connection but they soon make up and decide to be 'just friends'. Afterwards Dean and Rory continue their relationship which unfortunately begins to slowly but surely deteriorate. At the same time the 'friendship' between Rory and Jess deepens, as does Rory's confusion concerning said 'friendship'. Things come to a head when Rory and Dean break up, shortly followed by a falling out between Jess and Rory as well. Lane devises a successful scheme to get the two to make up, but their reconciliation is shortlived after they get involved in a car accident. Lorelai blames Jess for the accident that creates a rift between her and Luke. Immediately after that Lorelai overhears her daughter professing her love to an unconscious Jessica, which forces the already emotionally distressed Lorelai to phone Christopher for help._

_And now you're more or less caught up._

26 - Family Dynamics

"I still can't believe you called Dad over this," Rory declared while gently picking at the edge of her soft cast, visibly nervous. "I mean, it's not a real big deal."

"Rory, it's a huge deal," Lorelai countered, clearly still aggitated by the events of last night. "You could've died."

"You're being dramatic," the younger Gilmore sighed.

"As the mother of the girl with a broken arm, I reserve the right to act dramatic," Lorelai huffed.

"Whatever," her daughter rolled her eyes.

_You're even starting to talk like her,_ Lorelai frowned, not at all pleased with the revelation. The pair continued owards toward Luke's in silence, neither one choosing to speak. Lorelai could tell that her daughter was irritated. Normally she would attempt to make some sort of joke to lift Rory's spirits, but the older Gilmore girl couldn't bring herself to do so since Lorelai was too irritated by their current situation herself. And not just the situation with Rory. Her argument with Luke still lingered at the back of her mind. Lorelai knew she was in the wrong, but-

"So how bad was your argument with Luke?" Rory asked, interupting her mother mid-thought.

"What?" Lorelai looked at her daughter in surprise. "How did you-"

The younger Gilmore winced. "That bad, huh?"

"No, it's not that bad," she denied with a shake of her head. Her daughter shot Lorelai a disapproving look, which told the older Gilmore that she wasn't fooled for a single second. "What? It really wasn't that bad, Rory. In fact, it was nothing!"

"Really?"

"Look, I was upset, he was upset," she explained, trying to casually wave the whole ugly affair aside. "We had a thing. It's over, we're fine."

"A thing?"

"A tiny thing."

"A tiny thing?"

"A thinglet, if you will."

"You and Luke don't have thinglets very often," her daughter pointed out.

"Everybody has thinglets. Part of being a grown-up," assured Lorelai, hoping her explanation sounded more convincing to her daughter than it sounded to her own ears.

"What did he say? What did you say?" Rory pressed.

"Rory, please stop," she begged.

"Okay, fine," relented Rory ever so slightly. "Just answer me this. We are on our way to Luke's, right?"

"Right."

"And when we get there, will we get in?"

"Of course, we'll get in."

"We'll get served?"

"Yes!"

"We'll get coffee?"

"Maybe."

"Refills?"

"Eventually."

"Free refills?"

"In about a month."

"Okay, the thinglet has grown into a thing," Rory concluded in resignation.

"Rory, Luke and I have fought before, and God knows we'll fight again," Lorelai explained. "But it's over. It's history. We'll go in, he'll be crabby, I'll be adorable, he'll forget everything and that, as they say, is that."

"Really?" Rory frowned, skeptical.

She nodded. "Really."

"Okay then," her daughter nodded back, though Lorelai could tell that the younger Gilmore girl was not at all convinced.

The usually talkative mother and daughter duo fell into another uneasy silence that lasted until reaching the gazebo, where on passing they immediately noticed a crowd gathering on the corner in front of Luke's. The pair shared a glance before hurrying their pace, both eager to discover what was going on.

"What's going on?" Lorelai asked the nearest townsperson. "What's with the line-up?"

"Closed," said Kirk in his trademark creepy dead tone.

Lorelai's eyes went wide. "What?"

"It's closed," he repeated.

"Luke's is closed?" Lorelai almost gasped.

"Luke's is never closed," Rory stated in disbelief.

"I know," Kirk agreed, his usual mask of stoicism slipping for a moment.

Lorelai decided to press the issue. Kirk had to be joking, though one could never tell when the odd, lanky man was concerned. "You sure it's closed?"

"Well, first I read the sign, then I tried the door in case it was some elaborate ruse," he gestured to the diner.

"Designed to keep only you out?" Lorelai asked.

He nodded his confirmation, gesturing to the sign. "There's precedent."

"Well, Luke's gone fishing," she stated after reading the notice, not knowing what to say next. "I think that's...great."

Rory turned to face her with a sour expression. "Oh, it is?"

"Yes, he works hard, he needed a break, he took it," the older Gilmore replied. "I think it's good. Healthy even."

"For who? I have blood sugar issues," Kirk stated before going to try the door again.

"Mom, it's because-" Rory began.

"No, it isn't," Lorelai interupted.

"But he never-"

"Well, now he did," she insisted, desperately attempting to ignore the guilt growing in the pit of her stomach.

"But-"

"Rory, he took a trip," re-assured Lorelai. "Don't read anything into it."

Rory crossed her arms and narrowed her blue eyes. "It's because of the other night."

"No, it isn't," she insisted. "Even if it is, it'll go away. Everything will be fine."

"No," Rory shook her head. "It won't."

"Rory, come on," Lorelai cried, her daughter turning away to all but stalk across the street. "It'll be fine!"

"Speak for yourself," Kirk snarked. "I left my wallet in there yesterday."

"Shut up, Kirk," she sighed, returning her gaze back to the departing Rory. _Damn it, Luke, where did you really go?_

(GG)

"We're lost," Jess declared in a sing-song voice, slowly following her uncle up the trail. "Lost in the woods."

"We are not lost," Luke snapped, fishing tackle in one hand and a cooler in the other. "I know exactly where we are! Now quit complaining!"

"Hey, I recognize that tree," she deadpanned. "Hello, Mr. Maple, it was nice seeing you again!"

"Oh, boy," her uncle sighed, visibly frustrated with the girl's antics.

"Seriously though, how much further is this fishing hole, Luke?" Jess complained. "I mean, we've been walking for hours!"

"It has not been hours," denied Luke, then muttered under his breath. "Such a drama queen."

"I heard that," she cried.

"You were supposed to," he grunted while coming to a stop in order to glance back at his lagging niece. Luke gestured to the tackle box, fishing rod, net, and small plastic cooler that Jess was carrying. "Need some help with that stuff?"

"I'm fine," Jess said, despite obviously having trouble with her burden.

"Stubborn girl," Luke muttered before turning around to continue along the trail.

"I heard that!"

"You were supposed to," he said over his shoulder.

The pair reached the end of the trail not more than two minutes later, where Jess all but dumped her load unceremoniously to the ground with a relieved groan.

"Finally!" Jess cried dramatically. "For a while there, I was scared a message would pop up stating that I've died of dysentary or something!"

Luke shot her a confused glance. "What?"

"You're hopeless," she sighed.

"Pick that stuff up and get it inside the cabin," ordered Luke, ignoring the obvious joke at his expense. "Then you can rest."

"Ah, come on," his niece whined like a ten year old not wanting to eat her vegetables.

"Jess..."

"Fine, you damned slave driving menace," she muttered, once again gathering her dropped items from the ground. Jess took two steps before coming to a dead stop, her expression one of confusion as the young woman glanced back and forth. "Um...what cabin are you taking about?"

"That one," Luke sighed in annoyance while pointing out a small log cabin that sat hidden behind some trees to their left.

"You cannot be serious," a wide-eyed Jess stated in disbelief. "That's a pile of old logs, not a cabin!"

"Hey, I helped my father build that cabin when I was twelve, so show some respect," he growled, his gaze narrowed in offense.

"And when did you and Grandpa Danes build it? The 1880's? Because, no offense, Luke, this place looks like something straight from a Laura Ingalls-Wilder novel!"

"It's not that bad," he protested.

"Please tell me we at least have a semblance of indoor plumbing," groaned the teenager.

"So this is what a stroke feels like," Luke groaned in response, fingers pressed to his forehead.

"Now who's being a drama queen?" Jess taunted.

"Just get inside already," the diner owner barked, finally having enough of his niece's antics.

"Yes, sir, Captain Tightpants," the teen girl chirped.

_This is going to be a very long trip,_ Luke thought with a tired sigh, already regretting the idea of getting Jess and himself away from the drama that was no doubt broiling back in Stars Hollow.

(GG)

_That had to be one of the most uncomfortable breakfasts in the history of breakfasts I've ever had with my mom,_ Rory thought on the way towards her locker. She pulled the metal door to her locker open and then shoved her bag inside after removing the required text book for her next class. The entire process must have looked awkward. It certainly felt awkward to her.

"What happened to your arm?"

"Oh, hey, Paris," she greeted, briefly startled by her friend's sudden appearance enough to drop her book. "Shoot!"

"I'll get it for you," the short blonde offered, retrieving the dropped book from the floor. She held it out to Rory. "Here."

"Thanks," Rory said, the two of them heading towards their next class after the brunette had taken her book back. "So, you ready for Monday's quiz?"

"I think I have a handle on it, Gilmore, but thanks for asking," Paris remarked, Chilton's top two students strolling along side by side. "So you didn't answer my question."

"It's just a hairline fracture, nothing serious," she answered.

"Did you break it studying? And if so, color me impressed," her rival-slash-best-friend at Chilton pressed. "Or is this injury related to something else entirely different?"

"Like what?" Rory scoffed, not quite following.

"Carpel tunnel syndrome, maybe?" Paris suggested with an almost leering smirk.

Rory stopped dead in her tracks, completely and utterly confused by the other girl's weird expression. "What are you talking about?"

"Don't play dumb, Rory," said the blonde girl, quirking an eyebrow at her. "You know what I'm talking about."

"I really don't," she replied, truthfully.

"Fine, be that way," Paris sighed, obviously disappointed. "But if you ever decide you want to share, you know where to find me, Gilmore."

"What?" Rory squeaked, still completely lost in the conversation. It wasn't until Paris was a good twenty feet down the hall that Rory finally realized what she meant, only to shake her head at the notion. There was no way Paris could know about her and Jess. Absolutely no way.

(GG)

"And this'll help my concussion in what way?" Jess asked, planting her feet up on the lawn chair while overlooking the small pond. "Because not catching anything is frustrating me, and that in turn just hurts my head."

"Damn it, girl, do you ever shut up?" Luke asked back, definitely annoyed. "The point is just to relax and fish. Don't over-analyze the activity and just do it!"

"Yes, sir, Captain Nike," the slim brunette saluted, then raised an eyebrow at her uncle as he took a swig from his beer. "So..."

The diner owner frowned at his niece, wondering at her expression. "What now?"

"Can I have one?" Jess asked, pointing at the beer in his hand.

"No."

"Come on!"

"No."

"Ah, come on!"

"What are you? Four?"

"You'd give a beer to a four year old, but not me, your beloved and injured seventeen year old niece?" Jess asked with wide innocent brown eyes.

"You know what I meant," Luke muttered, turning his attention back to his fishing pole.

"Buzzkill," she muttered.

"Be quiet, or you'll scare all the fish away," he grumbled back.

Uncle and niece sat quietly listening to the peaceful sounds of nature around them, neither saying a word until Jess couldn't take it any longer. There were a thousand questions zipping about her head since they had arrived here and she wanted at least a few of them answered.

"Luke?"

"What now?" he sighed.

"Why do you put up with me?" Jess asked, her earnest tone catching him offguard.

He glanced at her in surprise. "What sort of stupid question is that?"

"It's not a stupid question," she retorted, then rolled her eyes. "You know what? Forget I asked."

The two once again fell into a tense silence until Luke broke it.

"You're family," he stated.

"Is that the only reason?" Jess asked, a little disappointed by the simple answer.

"Is there a better one?" Luke responded.

"I suppose not," she sighed, her brown eyed gaze returning to her fishing line. "It's just...I don't know. I suppose if I were in your shoes, I don't know if I could do what you're doing, sacrifice what you're sacrificing."

"I'm not sacrificing anything," he denied.

The seventeen year old girl glanced over at her uncomfortable looking uncle, a sad little smile finding her lips at the sight. "I see how you look at her, Luke. Hell, the whole town sees how you look at Lor-"

"Don't bring her up, Jess," he ordered.

"But-"

"Jess!" Luke barked at his niece, a definite sign that she'd overstepped her bounds.

"Fine, fine, I'm sorry," she relented, then added under her breath. "I'm sorry that I'm such a pain in the ass."

"Family usually is. A pain in the ass, I mean," he stated after another quiet moment. "But that doesn't mean you can just turn your back on them." Luke took a deep breath. "You didn't know Louie, but I'm sure you've heard the stories, right?" Jess nodded, but remained silent. "Anyway, he was a jerk, but he and my dad were always really close. Always there for each other, no matter how mad they were at each other." He paused to clear his throat then continued. "They were always there for each other because that's what family does. They support each other no matter what."

"Family or not, you should just send me back to Liz," Jess suggested, her gaze once more on the fishing rod in her grasp. "Back to New York and get back to your life. It's what I'd do."

"I probably should," he agreed, albeit relunctantly. "It would make my life a lot easier. But I'm not going to do that."

She glanced at him. "Why not?"

"Because if I did, it would mean I failed," he answered.

"Failed?" Jess all but growled, bristling at the thought that Luke was only keeping her around to prove something to himself. That all his previous talk about family was just bullshit.

"Yeah, failed," he nodded, ignorant of her sudden anger. "Failed your mom. Failed myself. And most importantly, failed you."

_He's afraid to fail me?_ Jess blinked in surprise at that, her anger dissipated for the moment.

"And that would probably haunt me, failing you like that," continued Luke without looking at her, his gaze still on his own fishing line. "Too many people have already failed you. I don't want to add to that number, Jessica."

_Why couldn't my dad be more like you, Luke?_ Jess wanted to ask him, but the slim brunette couldn't because she didn't trust her voice from cracking. She could already feel tears stinging her eyes, so actually trying to vocalize her swirling emotions would not be a good idea.

"Here," he ordered, his gruff tone causing Jess to look up again. She stared blankly at the offered can of beer. "Take it before I change my mind."

"Thanks," whispered Jess while grasping the cool aluminum can in her free hand, even though she no longer had the desire to drink it. She just stared at the perspiring can for a few minutes, then once again looking over to her uncle.

"What is it?" Luke asked finally.

Jess smiled at him, lifting the fishing rod up in her left hand. "I have no idea how to fish."

Her uncle stared at her for a brief moment before they both began to laugh.

(GG)

_I am not looking forward to this,_ an anxious Lorelai sighed. She glanced over at her fidgety daughter seated on the passenger side of the jeep, once again wishing that Rory would've agreed to her suggestion to stay home instead of coming here tonight.

"How long are we going to just sit here? Grandma is probably going nuts right now," Rory said.

"If that's not incentive enough to keep sitting here, I don't know what is," quipped Lorelai half-heartedly.

"Mom."

"Fine, let's head inside," she relented.

The usually vibrant mother-daughter duo exited the jeep and slowly approached the entrance to the Gilmore Residence in trepidation.

"This is going to suck," stated Lorelai with finality.

"Probably," her daughter agreed.

"We should go home."

"Probably."

"Are you ever going to stop being mad at me?" Lorelai asked.

"Probably," Rory answered, then quietly added. "But not tonight."

Before Lorelai could say anything the door opened to reveal the latest of her mother's many maids eyeing them with confusion. "May I help you?"

"We're the daughter and granddaughter," Lorelai stated with a forced smile. "Emily is expecting us."

"Please come in," the maid nodded, allowing them inside without any further preamble.

A cowed Lorelai silently followed her daughter inside her childhood home. After handing her coat to the maid like Rory had done, the pair shared a brief glance then walked into the den for the usual pre-dinner drinks with Richard and Emily Gilmore.

"You two are late," Emily chided when she noticed them enter the room. "Please sit while I grab your usuals."

"Thanks, Grandma," Rory said, her cast hidden behind her back. "And sorry that we're late. It was my fault."

"Where's Dad, Mom?" Lorelai asked, placing herself between her daughter and mother in what she knew was a futile attempt to help hide Rory's cast. "He's usually here by now."

"He's in his office talking to a possible client from oversees, but he'll be right out," assured Emily, handing her a martini. She then handed Rory's coke to Lorelai as well. "Hand this to Rory while I go grab him for dinner."

"Sure, Mom," she nodded, the drink now in her grasp. With Emily gone and her daughter's drink now handed off, Lorelai turned to her daughter. "So when your grandmother comes back and finally notices the cast, what are you going to tell them?"

"I'll tell them the truth," Rory answered simply.

Lorelai tilted her head slightly to the left. "Which is?"

"I got in an accident and swerved my crappy car into a tree," her daughter answered.

"Oh, that truth," Lorelai huffed, disappointed that her usually honest daughter was still insisting on covering for Jess.

"Yes, that truth," hissed Rory, her voice lowered due to Emily re-entering the room. She turned to face her grandmother, her tone now normal. "Is everything all right, grandma?"

"Yes, your grandfather is j-" Emily began, only to stare wide eyed at her granddaughter's cast. "Oh, my God! Rory, what happened to your arm? What happened to her arm, Lorelai?"

_Here we go,_ thought Lorelai, bracing herself for the coming argument. "It's nothing, Mom. Rory just hurt her arm."

"It's just a hairline fracture, no biggie," Rory added with a forced little grin. "Plus the doctors gave me some really good painkillers, so I'm all good, Grandma."

"How did this happen?" Emily insisted, not at all amused.

Lorelai was about to speak, but her daughter interjected before she could.

"A friend and I went for ice cream and a movie," she elaborated. "And on our way back to Stars Hollow, we kind of got into an accident."

"An accident? Like a car accident?" Emily asked in shock, which quickly turned to anger when she faced Lorelai once again. "How could you not tell us our granddaughter had gotten into a car accident, Lorelai?"

"It wasn't that serious, Mom," Lorelai defended. "In fact, Rory got off easy compared to Jess' concussion." She immediately winced at her slip up, quickly mouthing an apology to a wide eyed Rory over her mother's shoulder.

"Jess? Who's Jess?" Emily asked.

"Luke's niece," she supplied.

"Mom!" Rory exclaimed.

"She asked," cried Lorelai in explanation. "I'm sorry!"

"Wait a moment," Emily cut in. "You mean to tell me that you allowed your daughter to continue to associate with THAT juvenile delinquint niece of that hirsute diner man?" Lorelai was about to protest, but was quickly cut off by her mother. "Really, Lorelai, of all the irresponsible things-"

"It wasn't Mom's fault, Grandma!" Rory cried. "Nor was it Jess'. It was mine! I was driving, I swerved the car off the road, I caused Jess to get hurt, okay? It was me!"

"Babe, calm down," Lorelai said, trying to simmer her daughter's flared up temper.

"What is going on in here?" Richard asked, clearly confused by all the shouting.

"Your granddaughter got into a car accident and Lorelai neglected to inform us of it," Emily explained.

"Only because I asked her not to," the teenager lied, surprisingly covering for her mother despite their current tension. "It really isn't that big of a deal, Grandpa. Just a hairline fracture."

"This wouldn't happen to have anything to do with the deathtrap that Dean boy built you?" Richard asked, his expression stern. "Would it, Rory?"

"Yes, Grandpa, but this would've happened regardless of what vehicle we were driving," Rory explained hurriedly. "I'm just glad Jess didn't get hurt too-"

Her grandfather raised his brow in surprise at that. "Jessica was with you during this accident? Is she all right?"

"Ex-except for a slight concussion and a few cuts, she seemed to be doing okay the last time I saw her," the youngest Gilmore answered, clearly surprised that her grandfather was showing concern for her friend. Lorelai shared that surprise, as did Emily if her expression was any indication.

"That's a relief to hear," he nodded. "She is a rather bright girl, if a bit rough around the edges. Give her my best the next time you see her, Rory."

"Okay," Rory said, confusion dominating her face at the moment. "I will."

"While I am rather disappointed that you and your mother thought that this incident didn't require our being informed, I am willing to overlook that since neither you or Jessica were grieviously injured," continued the Gilmore patriarch. "That being said, don't let it happen again."

"I won't, Grandpa," she promised.

"The same goes for you, Lorelai," Richard ordered his daughter.

"Message received loud and clear, Dad," Lorelai promised as well.

"Now shall we have dinner? With this news and having to deal with the Margie problem, I appear to have gained quite the appetite."

"The Margie problem?" Rory asked, skillfully changing the focal point of the discussion away from her injury.

As her daughter and father discussed the 'Margie problem' in more detail, Lorelai glanced at her mother to find Emily fuming on how her husband had casually brushed aside the previous subject in such a manner. Lorelai knew that her father would probably pay for his sudden ambivalence to the accident later on after the two younger Gilmores were gone. Lorelai was no stranger to being on the receiving end of Emily Gilmore's wrath, so she didn't envy her father one bit right now. Her gaze drifted over to Rory for the moment then to her father, who gave her a quick nod before resuming his conversation with his granddaughter. Lorelai smirked to herself. With that little nod, her father had just let Lorelai know that he knew exactly what he'd done and was willingly 'taking one' for her and Rory.

_Thank you, Daddy,_ a grateful Lorelai thought while bringing her martini up to sip. Lorelai had enough on her plate right now, she didn't need her mother's nagging added to that list.

(GG)

After returning home from Friday night dinner and enduring another long, awkward drive back to Stars Hollow, Rory found herself growing terribly restless and snuck out in order to stretch her legs, hoping to get her thoughts in order. She slowly meandered the empty streets of her quiet small town, the cool breeze caressing her face doing nothing to quell the chaos storming inside Rory's head. When she reached the gazebo Rory climbed the steps and sat down, her blue eyes closing in yet another attempt to calm herself.

"You really shouldn't be out alone at night, young lady," the unmistakable voice of Jess Mariano warned playfully from the other end of the gazebo. "You never know what sorts of crazy people might be milling about."

"Do you always have to sneak up on people like that?" Rory chided, her gaze directed at her approaching girlfriend.

"I'm not a big fan of being normal. That shit is boring," replied Jess, sidling up next to her. She rested her head on Rory's shoulder. "I missed you."

"I missed you, too," the younger girl concured. "I actually began to think that Luke had taken you back to New York and I would never see you again."

"Sorry if our impromptu fishing trip scared you," her girlfriend apologized. "But Luke decided that it would be a good idea if we skipped out of town for a bit. You know, avoid some of the drama. I managed to convince him to come back, because there was no way I was staying out in some rickety old cabin for the next week and a half."

"That makes sense, I guess," she said, her hand finding Jess' to entwine their fingers. "Jess?"

The other brunette let out a soft grunt. "Hmm?"

"Never mind," Rory whispered, deciding to save any serious conversation concerning their relationship in favor of just enjoying the other girl's company. They'd had enough drama in the last few days to last them for a long while. With her cast covered hand Rory gingerly swept back some of Jess' wild hair from the other girl's face, then laid a kiss to the side of her girlfriend's forehead that wasn't bandaged.

Neither girl was aware of the person watching them from the shadows, their fists clenched in fury.

**End scene.**

**Anyhow, thanks for reading and please review.**

**See you next update, which I promise won't be nearly as long a wait as the last time.**


	27. She's My Everything

_A/N - This is the big one, people. I hope you enjoy it._

27 - She's My Everything

"I can't help but feel partially responsible for this," Lane stated while assisting in changing the bandage on Jess' forehead, the pair of them occupying one of the many girls' washrooms in Stars Hollow High. "I mean, I did set up the whole tutoring thing that led up to the accident after all."

"But if you didn't set up that tutoring thing, then Rory and I would probably still be mad at each other," reasoned the other girl from her seat against the nearest sink. "Besides, it wasn't like you were the one driving. That would be my du-" She hissed as Lane began to pull at the bandage. "Be careful, Laney."

"This would go a lot faster if you quit squirming," her best friend chided.

"Fine," sighed Jess, desperately trying to keep still. "Get on with it."

"Here we go," Lane announced, gently tearing the adhesive from the other girl's forehead with as much haste as possible. After twenty seconds that seemed to last twice as long, the deed was done. "There we are. Now for the ointment."

"I would've been done by now if you had just let me do this myself," Jess complained, not used to having another person tend to her needs.

"For a girl who's known as the resident badass, you sure do bitch and whine a lot," Lane retorted with a teasing little smile.

"Oh, shut it and finish up already," she snorted, once again trying not to flinch from her best friend's touch as Lane dabbed the ointment onto the stitches. "I'm starting to get vertigo from having to stare straight ahead for so long."

"Did the doctor tell you how long you'd be having dizzy spells?"

"He didn't give me an exact timeframe, but somewhere from two weeks to two months," Jess answered. "Apparently head injuries are still difficult to predict accurately."

"Should we be putting this other bandage on? Or should we be letting the stitches breath?" Lane frowned, the new bandage in her grasp. "I mean, we don't want to risk infection, do we?"

The older girl frowned in consideration then shrugged. "Toss it. I mostly just need the ointment."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, toss it," Jess nodded at the other girl's concerned expression. "I was starting to get itchy where the adhesive was any way."

"Okay then," Lane returned with a nod of her own. "So we're good here?"

"Yeah, thanks, Laney," she smiled.

"No problem," the shorter girl smiled back. "What are friends for, right?"

"No, I mean, for getting Rory and me...back together," Jess said, her voice growing softer from sudden shyness.

"Well, in that case, you're very welcome," Lane grinned smugly, looking very proud of herself.

"Watch it, Laney, you're head is starting to grow," the taller girl warned playfully.

"Any way, we're finished here," declared Lane, thumb hiked at the washroom door. "Let's head over to history class, then we can all go home."

"Yay, history," Jess cheered with no enthusiasm whatsoever.

(GG)

_Maybe I imagined it all,_ a distracted Dean thought on his way to his last class of the school day, which would no doubt be spent in a daze like all the rest had been as his mind replayed what he'd witnessed at the gazebo on Friday night. Dean had been angry at first, furious even, but after walking away in a huff and returning home, the tall high school junior reasoned that maybe his eyes had played tricks on him. It had been pretty dark after all. Despite thinking that though, there was still this nagging feeling in the back of his mind that what happened had actually happened and he was not, in fact, going insane. He desperately wanted to dismiss what he thought he witnessed that night, but then Dean remembered the reason why Jess had rebuffed Todd's advances and his brain began to war with itself once again.

"I really need to talk to Rory," he muttered to himself, only to realize that class was over. Dean shook his head at himself before rising from his desk, exitting the class room only to feel the eyes of the few remaining students in the hallway lingering on him. A group of girls all stared at him for a moment, then began giggling amongst themselves. The tall high schooler frowned as he continued towards his locker to grab the rest of his homework, only to regard another group of giggling girls as they passed by. Half tempted to chase after them to find out what was so funny, Dean decided against it and was content to let the whole thing go when he was approached by a tall blonde girl whose name escaped him at the moment. "Um, hi."

The blonde girl seemed a little nervous. "Aren't you Dean Forester?"

"Um, yeah," he replied, confused. "I am."

"Hi, I'm Lindsay. Lindsay Lister," she introduced herself. "We have chemistry together."

"Oh, right, third period," he nodded, recognizing her now.

"Yeah, that's right," Lindsay nodded, her apprehension even more visible now that they'd introduced each other. "Third period."

"What's up?" Dean asked politely as possible despite being very impatient. He really needed to head over and wait for Rory at her house so they could talk.

"You used to date Rory Gilmore, right?"

"Yeah, I did," he confirmed with a slight nod.

"Um, well, I was wondering if what everybody's been saying about her is true," the blonde said, an embarrassed expression on her now reddening face.

"Which is?"

"You know, that she's...gay," she finished, her voice dropping to almost a whisper on the last word.

"Where did you hear that?" Dean nearly roared, the events from Friday night barreling back to the forefront of his mind's eye.

"Uh, well, Laurie Hughes has been telling everybody in earshot that she overheard Lane and Jess talking in the washroom before last period that Rory is with Jess," Lindsay continued, her earlier embarrassment now growing to fear. "Dean?"

"That little bitch," he growled before stalking past the now frightened blonde. The edges of his vision were blurred as Dean made a beeline around the corner towards his destination, his quarry coming in sight almost immediately. Without really thinking it through Dean spun his much smaller rival around and slammed her hard against the lockers. An unexpecting Jess screamed out in pain, the back of her head striking the steel.

"Dean! Get off her!" Lane shouted, trying to get between them. "What the hell's gotten into you?"

"How long? How long has it been going on?" Dean shouted, ignoring his ex-girlfriend's oldest friend and shrugging off her attempts like they were nothing. His hand gripped onto Jess' jacket to prevent her from escaping. "Answer me!"

"What?" Jess looked up at him in shock. "What are you talking about?"

"Don't you dare play stupid with me, Mariano," he growled, pulling her up onto her tippy toes. "How long have you been fooling around with my girlfriend?"

"Dean, don't do this," Lane begged.

"Just answer the question," Dean pressed, releasing his hold on her.

"What does it matter? It's not like she's your girlfriend anymore," Jess said, only to gasp out in pain and gingerly touch her forehead. When she brought her fingers away there was a smattering of blood on them. "Oh, for fuck sake!"

_Shit, I forgot she was injured,_ Dean swallowed. "Are you all right?"

"Fuck off, Forester," she sneered in contempt, pushing past him. "Un-fucking-believable!"

"Well, I hope you're happy now," Lane added with equal disdain, then quickly followed her best friend down the hall.

A humiliated Dean stood in the hall for another moment with Lindsay, who had followed him and silently witnessed the entire ugly confrontation, before finally releasing all his frustration by punching the nearest locker with all his strength.

"Oh, my God, Dean," Lindsay rushed up to him, grasping his now bloody hand in her own delicate ones. "Are you all right?"

"Not even remotely," he whispered, the pain in his hand nowhere near the pain in his chest. He stared at their hands then up at the blonde's face. "Jess didn't really answer my question, did she?"

"I don't think she really needed to," the statuesque blonde answered, sympathy filling her doe-like gaze. "It's kind of obvious."

"I have to be sure," Dean insisted, slipping his hand away from Lindsay and stalking towards the exit. _I have to talk to Rory!_

(GG)

_I can't wait until this stupid thing comes off,_ a frustrated Rory thought as she struggled with carrying her backpack, the walk to her house from the bus stop taking much longer than it had should. She was so annoyed with her backpack that Rory didn't notice her ex-boyfriend sitting on the frontstep to her house until she was practically four feet away from him. "Dean? What are you doing here?"

He looked up at her with what could only be called a broken expression. "Hi."

"Hi," she returned in surprise, taken completely aback by his state. Her gaze fell on his hand, which was badly scrapped and appeared to be just starting to crust up with blood. "What hap-"

"Can we talk? In private, I mean," he interupted, quickly adding. "It won't take long, I promise."

"Yeah, sure," Rory nodded, agreeing against her better judgement.

"Thanks," her ex-boyfriend said lowly, following her inside.

A disconcerted Rory closed the door behind them, then followed him into the living room. While she was certain that Dean wouldn't try anything, Rory made sure to keep at least one piece of furniture between them just in case. They were encompassed by an awkward silence until Rory decided that enough was enough.

"What's going on, Dean?" she asked. "And what happened to your hand?"

He hid his hand behind his back, his face showing guilt. "That's not important."

"Dean, you're scaring me," said Rory, uneasy.

"Sorry," he apologized. The tall boy sat down to try and ease her apprehension. "Better?"

"A little," she admitted. Another awkward silence fell on the room, this one lasting slightly longer than the last one. "Dean, listen-"

"No, Rory, you listen," he interupted again, his blue eyes glimmering from unshed tears. "This is what I know. I loved you. With all my heart." He paused to lick his lips, then continued. "I still do, even if you don't." A tear slide down his cheek. "What we had was good, right?"

"Yeah, it was," she admitted, a lump forming in her throat at how heartbroken Dean looked. "It was real good."

"What happened to us, Rory?" he rasped.

"I...um," the usual verbose young woman began, tripping over her own words. "I don't know."

"Don't lie to me, Rory," Dean begged. "I think we both know I deserve more than that." He took a breath to recompose himself, then met her gaze. "If there's something you need to tell me, to get off your chest, just do it. As long as you're honest, I promise not to get mad. Just please stop lying to me." Her ex-boyfriend stood up from his seat on the couch. "Stop lying to yourself, Rory."

"I...I..." Rory stammered, then quickly finished. "I fell in love with someone else."

"I think you should leave now, Dean," said Lorelai suddenly from the kitchen doorway, causing both teens to jolt a little in surprise.

Dean looked at her pleadingly. "Lorelai..."

"Please leave, Dean," she begged.

"Okay," he whispered. As Dean was almost passed Rory though, she reached out to lay a hand on his arm.

"We never meant to hurt you, Dean," Rory confessed.

"I know," he nodded, quietly adding. "But I think that's what makes it even worse." He leaned forward and gently laid a kiss on her forehead. "Goodbye, Lorelai Leigh Gilmore."

A now softly sobbing Rory closed her eyes and flinched involunarily at the sound of the front door shutting. She took a shivering breath then looked over at her mother, who seemed to be on the verge of tears as well when the sound of the phone caused both Gilmore girls to jump in surprise. They once again locked gazes and silently agreed to let the machine get it.

"Hey, think of something witty and pretend we said it. Now leave a message at the beep. Thanks."

"Rory," came Lane's frantic voice from the machine. "He knows. Dean knows. I don't know how he found out, but he knows."

"End of message," the machine declared.

"Better late than never," Rory rasped.

Lorelai reached out to her daughter. "Babe..."

"I need to be alone right now," the younger Gilmore interjected pleadingly. Her mother nodded in understanding. Rory walked passed her and closed the bedroom door behind herself, then flopped face first onto her bedsheets and bawled her eyes out.

(GG)

Much to Lorelai's relief, it was more or less three hours later when Rory finally decided to come out of her bedroom. Lorelai continued to pretend to watch the television as her daughter timidly entered the living room, taking the empty space on the couch beside her. They sat in silence that could only be called tense before Rory spoke up, her voice timid and small like a lost little girl.

"Mom?"

"Yeah, kiddo?" Lorelai asked, her gaze still straight ahead.

"We need to talk," Rory declared.

Lorelai nodded. "Sounds important."

"It is," her daughter said.

Lorelai glanced at her baby girl, who was visibly struggling with how to begin. She reached out and took Rory's figdety hands in her own. "Calm down. Take your time. We have all night if you need it, babe." Her daughter nodded. "Whatever it is you need to say, Rory, don't force it. Just let it come out on its own, okay?" Lorelai internally kicked herself for a brief second at her choice of words, but decided that it couldn't be helped now. "Whenever you're ready."

"What if I'm never ready?" Rory whispered.

"Then you're never ready," she assured. "But that doesn't mean I won't be around in case you ever change your mind, hon."

This seemed to ease her daughter somewhat, who took a deep breath before finally declaring. "I have something important to tell you."

Lorelai smiled. "Kind of picked up on that."

"It's about me," Rory continued as though her mother hadn't said anything. "And it's about Jess."

_This is it, isn't it?_ Lorelai thought, knowing what was coming next. _This is the moment that will define our relationship for the rest of our lives, won't it?_ The realization caused Lorelai to think back on her own troubled relationship with her mother and how she never wanted that sort of distance between herself and Rory. The memory of first holding Rory caused Lorelai to tear up, the feeling of pride at finally laying her eyes on the little girl who changed her life for the better. More than anything else though, Lorelai vividly recalled her promise to baby Rory after the doctors laid her in her arms. _No matter what, it's you and me against the world, kiddo._

"Mom?" Rory asked, her voice filled with a terror that Lorelai could feel as well. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine," she re-assured. "Please, go on."

Her daughter nodded. "Okay, where was I?"

"You and Jess," Lorelai reminded her.

"Right, thanks," she nodded, then continued in a strained tone. "Any way, you know how we've been spending a lot of time together?"

"Uh-huh."

"This is so hard," Rory commented.

"You're doing fine," assured Lorelai.

"Okay, let me try this another way," she sighed, her brow furrowed in concentration. After about another minute or so of brooding, Lorelai could see that her brilliant daughter had come to a decision. "All right, before I go any further, I just want to assure you that what I'm about to tell you doesn't mean I'm some different person all of a sudden. I'm still your daughter. I still want to go to Harvard, or some equally prestigeous university after I graduate Chilton." She paused to catch her breath. "I'm still Lorelai Leigh Gilmore, and I love you, Mom." Rory paused to compose herself, then dropped the bomb that Lorelai had been waiting for. "And I think I might be gay."

_And there it is,_ Lorelai licked her lips and swallowed hard. Her gaze dropped down for a moment, then Lorelai looked up directly at her daughter's terrified face and simply said. "Okay."

"Okay?" Rory sounded surprised. "What do you mean by 'okay'?"

"What I mean is that I already knew," she explained.

"You did? No, wait, that can't be possible," Rory shook her head in disbelief. "I didn't even know until just recently. How could you know?"

Lorelai cringed. "I don't know if I should tell you."

"I think you should."

"I don't think that's the best idea, babe."

"Will you just tell me already!"

"I heard what you said to Jess after the accident," Lorelai cried, swiftly adding in explanation at her daughter's glowering expression. "I didn't mean to eavesdrop though, I just wanted to get you to come home, okay?"

Her daughter calmed down at that. "Okay, I believe you."

"Thank God," she sighed.

"What exactly did you hear though?" Rory queried.

"I heard you say that you love her," confessed Lorelai. "Then I heard her say it back." She took steadying breath. "Did you mean it?"

"Every word," she confirmed with a nod. "I'm in love with her, Mom. I think I have been since the first time I saw her."

"Yeah, now that I think about how you guys were acting that first night, it all makes sense to me," Lorelai agreed, wondering how the hell she managed to miss that. She ran her finger through her daughter's hair lovingly, then smiled sadly. "I'm so sorry, sweets."

Her daughter frowned in confusion. "For what?"

"For letting you think you couldn't come to me with this," she said, her voice cracking under the emotional strain. "You shouldn't have gone through this alone."

"It was my choice, Mom," Rory apologized, sniffling. "I'm the one who shut you out." She sniffled again. "I didn't know if-" Hic-cup. "If you'd still want me as your daughter anymore. I didn't want you to blame yourself."

Lorelai stared at her. "Blame myself?"

"What if you started thinking that the reason for me...being this way is...because you didn't marry Dad?" Rory whimpered, her face wet with tears. "Or Max?"

"Oh, Rory," she blinked against her own tears.

"I couldn't live with myself if I did something like that to hurt you," her daughter sobbed. "I just couldn't!" Lorelai pulled the distraught girl into her arms. "I love you, Mom."

"I love you, too, kiddo," Lorelai cried, holding onto her baby girl, her world for dear life. "I love you, too."

**End scene.**

**See? Told you it wouldn't be that long for another update. Anyhow, please review.**


	28. After the Boom

_A/N - The Paris scenes were the most fun to write. Oh, this update also marks the return of Janie Fertman from chapter 12, who I've upgraded to a support character. Sort of. At least for the time being anyway. Enjoy!_

28 - After the Boom

"So did you guys have breakfast at Sookie's again this morning?" Jess quizzed over the phone, already knowing the answer since her girlfriend hadn't been in the dinner that morning.

"Oh, my God, this thing between Luke and my mom is killing me," an exasperated Rory groaned into the cordless receiver. "Don't get me wrong, Sookie's a great cook and I love her, but I really wish they'd just make up already so I can have one of Luke's fantastic burgers!"

"I'll take that as a yes," the older girl laughed.

"Yeah, that's a yes," Rory sighed. "How is it on your end?"

"You know how stubborn Luke is," returned Jess with a sigh of her own. "But I think I'm wearing him down, if only slightly." Beat. "Is there any chance you could come in without your mom tomorrow?"

"Jess..."

"Yeah, I figured as much," she muttered. "I miss you."

"I know. I miss you, too," Rory commiserated. "It's just...ever since I came out to Mom, she's been ultra clingy and desperate to show me that nothing's changed between us."

"Well, at least your mom is trying, right? I mean, when Liz found out I liked girls, she completely went off the deep end," Jess stated, still annoyed with the memory. "For a New Age wannabe hippy type, my so-called mother is awfully uptight when it comes to sexual orientation. Maybe she went to Catholic school? I don't know. It would explain the vintage pleaded skirt I swiped from her dresser though."

"I'm a little lost here. Which skirt are you talking about?"

"You know, the one Luke said made me look like jailbait," she reminded.

"Oh, THAT skirt," the other girl giggled. "I liked that skirt. It looked good on you."

Jess smirked. "Oh, yeah?"

"Oh, yeah," Rory confirmed.

"What'd you like most about it?"

"Your legs," Rory whispered. Jess could almost hear her girlfriend blushing over the line. "Made them look really long."

"Oh, yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Well then, I'll be sure to be wearing it tomorrow," she teased.

"Now that's just mean," her girlfriend whimpered, no doubt pouting.

"Tough love, baby."

"I'll try to sneak over before my bus takes off tomorrow."

"Can't wait," she grinned into the cellphone.

"Rory, I need help," a distressed Lorelai could be heard in the background. "I think my brain is rebelling and refuses to work anymore!"

"I've got to go," Rory sighed. "Mom's having a study meltdown over her finals." She let out another dramatic sigh. "Again."

"Alright, I'll see you tomorrow morning then?" Jess asked, hoping she didn't sound too desperate.

"Either then or after school," her girlfriend promised.

"See you then."

"See you then."

After hitting the end button on her cellphone, the former New Yorker released a sigh and let her gaze drift up towards the ceiling. Her thoughts meandered to the recent secretive glances and whispered words by various citizens of Stars Hollow concerning her 'rumored' relationship with Rory. Well, it was definitely more than rumored, but only a select few knew that for a fact. That didn't stop them from gossiping about it though.

"Stupid small town America," she muttered bitterly at the ceiling.

Truth be told though, Jess didn't care if they gossiped about her. Jess had gone through a similiar thing back at her old high school in New York when she first chose to come out, so she knew how to deal with all the crap that the homophobes and ignorant bigots would do or say to her. Jess could handle herself, no problem. What she was more concerned about was Rory, who was still in the process of coming to terms with her own budding orientation, and how she'd react when one of those idiots did or said something hateful to her. It could potentially be devestating to the naive girl, who always wanted to expect the best from people. It could force Rory right back into the closet.

"I'm not going to let that happen," a grimly determined Jess promised aloud. The memory of why Jess had ended up being sent Stars Hollow sprang to her mind before she swiftly and forcefully suppressed it, the former ballet dancer focusing hard not to think of those events. It would do no good to dwell on her past failures, she decided. "Not this time."

(GG)

"How's it going?" Rory inquired, the younger Gilmore standing in her bedroom doorway while amusedly observing her frantic mother shuffle through the assorted papers on the kitchen table.

"I hate these books. Hate them," Lorelai complained.

Her daughter sighed. "Oh, no."

"See? They're trying to escape," her mother muttered as one of her books slipped out of her reach and almost off the table. "They hate me, too."

"Your books don't hate you," Rory assured.

"My brain is full. It's reached capacity," Lorelai moaned in despair. "It's Shea Stadium when the Beatles played. It's cramped, girls are screaming, and I think George is fighting with Ringo!"

_So dramatic,_ Rory smiled at her mother's antics. "Quite the active head you got there."

"I simply cannot ingest any more information," her mother continued, still trying to organize her haphazardly placed notes and books.

"Then take a break," she suggested.

"I don't have time."

"Lay your head down, relax."

"I can't relax, and I certainly can't lay my head down because everything will leak out of my head, thus making the last several days worth of studying a total waste of time!"

"I'll make some coffee," Rory soothed, all too used to this sort of behavior. It had been going on for several days now.

"I hate finals," Lorelai groused.

"Everybody hates finals."

"You know what the worst thing about all this is? It's all self inflicted. It's self inflicted acadamia!"

"Hey, I just realized something," Rory said, half way through preparing the coffee. "You're graduating!"

"Only if I somehow manage to retain all this crap during my exams," her mother quipped.

"Well, if you somehow manage that-"

"Hey!" Lorelai cried in mock indignation.

"-will there be a ceremony?"

She shrugged, once again distracted. "Um, I don't know. Maybe?"

_I don't buy that for a second,_ thought Rory. "Mom."

"Fine, I heard some of my classmates say something about next Thursday," the elder Lorelai Gilmore relented.

"That's great!"

"Yeah, I suppose it is."

"Are you allowed to invite anyone?"

"Probably."

"Okay, let me ask this another way," Rory said, close to exasperation with her mother's non-committal answers. "Do you want to invite anybody?"

Lorelai glanced at her. "In particular? Besides you, I mean?"

_Finally! Some progress,_ she nodded. "Yes, besides me."

"Can't it just be you?"

Rory frowned at her. "Mom."

"Quit saying Mom like that," her mother ordered.

"If you'd stop being impossible, then I wouldn't have to!"

"Look, Rory, I don't really care who shows up, just as long as you're there," explained Lorelai, her complete attention finally on her daughter. "Sure, it would be nice if Sookie or Jackson were there to cheer me on, too, but other than the three of you, it doesn't matter."

"What about-"

"No, there will be no inviting of my parents, Rory," her mother interupted.

"But-"

"I know you mean well, kiddo, but them coming to my graduation will only stir up bitter memories for the whole lot of us," Lorelai continued. "It's been the better part of two decades and my parents still haven't completely forgiven me for shattering all the dreams they had for me. They won't see me up there on the stage feeling proud as I shift the tassle from one side to the other, which is very symbolic by the way. All they'll see is me, the pregnant teenager, who wrecked all their wonderful plans."

"You can't b-"

"I humiliated them, Rory. The two proudest people on the planet, and I humiliated them," she cut in again. "So please, for the love of God, drop this, okay?"

"Fine, I'll drop it," Rory relented.

"Thank you."

"But only on the condition that we, as in you and I, head into Luke's for breakfast tomorrow morning," the younger Gilmore girl finished.

Her mother leaned forward, head in her hands. "Rory..."

"I'm not saying you have to invite Luke, Mom. Even I'm not that naive," she interjected. "What I am saying though is that I'd like to see my girlfriend some time in the next calander year or so."

"I have been hogging you for a while, haven't I?" Lorelai asked in what seemed to be sudden realization, their nearly identical blue eyes meeting.

"I didn't want to say anything because you've been taking my coming out so well, but..."

"But you miss Jess," her mother concluded.

"I miss Jess," she confirmed.

A hopeful Rory observed her mother mull over it for a moment before Lorelai finally nodded her relunctant acceptance. "I think one uncomfortable breakfast at Luke's is do-able."

"Thank you, Mom!" Rory exclaimed, her arms thrown around her mother in a tight hug.

"Yeah, yeah, now go away so I can study," Lorelai shooed her away with a smile, playfully rolling her eyes. "The things I do for love."

(GG)

_I can do this,_ thought Lorelai as she approached Luke's for what must have been the twelfth time that morning, annoyed with herself for more or less letting down Rory, who had already entered their former everyday hangout to have breakfast with Jess several minutes ago. Despite the slight sting of betrayal that she felt at her one and only beloved daughter abandoning her, Lorelai couldn't exactly blame Rory for doing so. She gazed into the window on her latest pass to see Jess give her a small awkward wave, which Lorelai returned with equal awkwardness.

"Damn it, I can do this," she muttered on the street corner across from Doose's, just out of sight of whoever might be gazing out the diner's windows at that moment. After psyching herself up once again, Lorelai strode back the way she came and finally entered the diner to take a seat beside her daughter and her daughter's girlfriend.

"Well, hello, Mom," Rory greeted with a smile. "Did you enjoy your morning stroll?"

"You are hilarious, my dearest daughter," she retorted, then nodded at the other girl seated at the table. "Good morning, Jessica."

"Morning, Miss Gilmore," Jess returned.

"How are you doing?"

Luke's niece seemed surprised by the question. "I'm fine. Thanks."

"As rivetting as this conversation is, I have to get going now if I want to catch my bus," Rory declared, standing up to pull on her jacket.

"But I just got here!" Lorelai protested.

"Then you shouldn't have spent the last twenty minutes gallivanting about the square while I was in here eating breakfast with my girl," reprimanded Stars Hollow's only Chiltonite before kissing both of them on the cheek, which was quite the surprising public display. "You two be good while I'm gone. Bye!"

"What the heck was that?" Lorelai asked, wide blue eyes meeting equally as wide brown ones across the table.

"Hey, don't look at me," Jess raised her hands up. "I'm just as surprised she did that as you are!"

"Yeah, Rory's usually not one for public displays of affection," she noted aloud.

"Well, I wouldn't get too excited, Miss Gilmore," the lithe girl shrugged. "It was just a peck on the cheek. It's not like we made out on top of the table."

"Now wouldn't that be a scandal?" Lorelai joked uneasily.

"Yeah, I suppose it would," her daughter's girlfriend agreed with equal unease.

A now nervous Lorelai drummed her fingers on the table top, her gaze averted away from the stiff looking Jess. Neither said anything for what seemed like an eternity and that awkward silence would've continued if not for Luke's shout from the kitchen.

"Jess, get your skinny butt to school!"

"Yeah, yeah," his niece shouted back. "Just let me grab my books upstairs!"

"Hurry up then!"

"Yes, sir," she cried, her gaze now directed at Lorelai.

The older of the two frowned. "What?"

"Now's your chance to follow up on that letter you sent him," Jess smirked.

Before Lorelai could reply the girl was up from her seat and up the stairs in a shot, leaving Lorelai with an apparently dozing Kirk Gleason as the only remaining customers in the diner. When Lorelai recovered enough from Jess' knowing about her 'secret' apology letter to Luke, the inn manager took a steadying breath then stood up and walked over to the counter where Luke was now checking the cash register.

_Here goes nothing,_ Lorelai sighed while making her approach.

(GG)

_Please, don't come over here,_ thought Luke in quiet desperation, really wanting to avoid the gorgeous blue eyed brunette walking up to the till. _Damn it! Why do you always have to be so uncooperative, Lorelai?_

"Hi, Luke," she greeted.

"Can I help you?" Luke asked in a most stoic voice he could muster. By the way Lorelai's smile faltered told the diner owner he'd done a good job.

"Is that how it's going to be with us now?" Lorelai blinked, hurt.

"What do you mean?" he quizzed.

She took another steadying breath. "Did you get my letter?"

"Oh, yeah, I got it," he nodded with a small chuckle. "That Garfield is one funny cat. Thanks."

"Thanks? I poured my heart out in that letter, Luke," the tall brunette cried. "I know that I screwed up, Luke, but I thought you of all people would understand why I lost it like I did! Rory got hurt! And I don't really know what else to say. I've already apologized like a thousand times."

"It wasn't actually a thousand times, but I get that you're exaggerating in order to make a point," he snorted.

"Why are you acting like this?" Lorelai demanded. No, it was more like she was pleading. It gave Luke no small amount of satisfaction to know that he finally had the upperhand in their odd relationship.

He tilted his head to the side. "Like what?"

"Like a robot! Quit acting like a robot," she snapped, desperate. "I want Luke back! Where's my Luke?"

"He's right here," a still mostly stoic Luke stated, hands held palms up. "He's right here."

"No, he's not," Lorelai rasped before finally spinning on her heel to leave.

As soon as Lorelai had exitted the diner, Luke leaned forward against the counter and released the tense breath he'd been holding in for the entirety of his conversation with the tall brunette. _I thought she'd never leave. I almost caved. Again!_

"You are such a boob," came his niece's familiar voice from behind the curtain.

"Go to school, Jess," he ordered.

"What is the matter with you?" Jess ignored the order, instead entering the room proper. "She was trying to apologize, you...you...boob!"

"Quit calling me that!" Luke shouted.

"Then quit acting like one!" she shouted back.

"Just go to school, Jessica," Luke ordered again, though this time his tone was softer and more desperate. "Please."

"You are such a boob," repeated Jess on her way across the room, only to stop at the door. She looked back at him, their eyes meeting. For a moment it seemed as though his niece wanted to say something more. Instead Jess simply shook her head and left.

"Why is everybody yelling?" Kirk yawned out of nowhere. The lanky man had been so quiet for so long that Luke had forgotten he was even there. "Luke?"

"Get out, Kirk," a tired Luke ordered, wanting nothing more than to be alone right then.

(GG)

It had been the better part of the school day that Paris had observed her best friend and rival's behavior, and came to the conclusion that Rory was most definitely happy about something. And it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what that something was. Or rather who. Well, that is if the person in question had all the information that Paris was in possession of. Now if only there was some way Paris could get Gilmore to spill the beans already!

"You're watching Rory pretty hard there, Par," Louise cooed into her fellow blonde's ear. "If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were crushing on her."

"Don't be an idiot, Louise," scoffed Paris.

"I don't know, Par," Madeline chimed in. "If I swung that way, Rory would definitely be somebody worth crushing over."

"Well, I'm crushed, Maddy," the blonde half of the dynamic duo gasped in fake indignation. "I thought I was your one and only!"

"Oh, you'll always be my one and only, Lou," backpedalled the dark haired girl, not catching on as per usual. "I just-"

"Relax, Maddy," a smirking Louise soothed. "I was joking."

"Why must you always toy with my feelings like that?" Madeline cried.

"Are you two idiots finished?" Paris barked.

"Whoa, take a chill pill, Par," the other blonde told her. "We're just kidding around."

"I wasn't," whimpered her partner in crime.

"I know, but I promise to make it up to you later though, okay, Mads?" Louise soothed again, this time sounding sincere.

"Okay, but this time I'm wearing the dominatrix outfit," Madeline chirped happily.

The sultry blonde smiled and tapped her best friend on the top of her head. "Whatever keeps my girl happy."

"I love you, Lou."

"And I love you, Mads."

"How am I friends with you two?" Paris groaned.

"You need to get laid, Geller," Louise sighed.

"Seriously," Madeline agreed.

"You two are insane," the leader of the Chilton three stated. "I'm going to talk to Rory now."

"We love you no matter what, Par-Par," the duo cried in unison as the blonde walked down the hall towards their mutual friend, one Lorelai Leigh Gilmore.

"What's with them?" Rory asked when Paris arrived at the brunette's locker.

"Apparently, I need to get laid," Paris deadpanned.

"Okay, sorry I asked," she winced.

"Nevermind that though," the blonde waved in dismissal. "There's something I need to ask you. And I need you to be completely honest with me."

"Yes, you need to get laid," the other girl quipped.

"Oh, like I'm the only virgin left in our class," Paris scoffed, rolling her eyes. She glanced sidelong at Rory, an idea coming to her at that instant. "Unless, of course, you and Dean have gotten back together and finally...?"

"For your information, Dean and I aren't back together," Rory stated matter-of-factly. "And no, I am still technically a virgin."

The blonde raised an eyebrow at that. "Technically?"

"Oh, look at the time," the now furiously blushing Rory said, trying to excuse herself from the suddenly embarrassing conversation. "I have to go visit my grandparents now. See you tomorrow, Paris!"

"Damn it," Paris grumbled, nowhere closer to getting Rory to spill. In fact, she might even be further from that goal than before. It was that moment though that another brilliant idea dawned on the short blonde. An idea so simple and direct that it made Paris wonder why she never thought of it earlier. _If I leave right after speaking with Miss Caldecott, I might make it there and back again before Rory even realizes I was in Stars Hollow!_

(GG)

"It's about time you got back here," Luke barked when Jess entered the diner. "Where the hell were you? We're getting swamped!"

"I was hanging out at Laney's," she barked back, still annoyed at her uncle for his treatment of Lorelai that morning. "Besides, I still have ten minutes before I officially start. So I'm gonna go get changed, alright?"

"At least do a coffee round before you head upstairs," he ordered.

"Fine, if it'll shut you up," Jess obeyed, slipping behind the counter to grasp the coffee pot to do like Luke wanted. She had just finished refilling Janie Fertman's coffee when an expensive looking sports car pulled up to the curb outside the dinner.

"Hot wheels," the cheerleading captain whistled, then quickly added in an appreciative tone at the sight of a familiar blonde girl exitting the vehicle. "Hot girl, too."

"Not you, too," Jess sighed in exasperation. Ever since Laurie Hughes opened her big yap about Jess' sexual orientation, almost every second girl made some underhanded remark in an attempt to confirm the rumors. The practice was getting very old, very quick.

"Not me, what?" Janie asked, sounding genuinely confused.

Before a surprised Jess could say anything to Janie though, the dynamo known as Paris Geller entered the diner and pointed directly at the former ballet dancer.

"You and I need to talk right now," the blonde declared.

"Didn't your mother ever tell you it's rude to point?" Jess snarked, returning behind the counter to place the coffee pot on the burner.

"Right, sorry," her girlfriend's schoolmate said, the hand she'd been pointing with now stationed on her hip. "Anyway, we need to talk. Preferably in private."

"Of all the rotten luck," Janie muttered miserably into her coffee.

Paris hiked a thumb at the cheerleader. "What's her problem?"

"No clue," Jess answered, not truthfully knowing for certain. "Anyhow, I have to get changed for work. We can talk upstairs."

"Lead the way, Mariano," the blonde agreed.

"So, Paris, what did you want to talk about?" Jess asked when they arrived in the apartment, intrigued as to why the fierce little blonde felt the need to drag her somewhere private to talk.

"I'm not really sure how to go about saying this, so I'll just put it bluntly and save us any chance of future misunderstanding," Paris stated in that trademark dry way of hers. "I consider Gilmore to be my best friend, and as being such, I am invoking my right to say that if you break her heart, I'm going to break your face."

"Excuse me?"

Paris frowned at her. "Don't play dumb, Jessica, because we both know that you're not."

"But how did yo-"

"Three weeks ago, I went to watch a really horrible movie with my friends, Madeline and Louise," the blonde interupted. "It had that hack, Ben Affleck, in it. You know which one I'm talking about, right?" Speechless, Jess simply nodded. "Well, the movie itself was crap and would've been completely forgettable if not for what I ended up seeing in the parking lot." Paris smiled in an almost menacing fashion. "Don't get me wrong, Jess. I like you. But don't even think about hurting Rory. Or I'll make you regret it."

"What makes you think you can?" Jess challenged.

"Well, other than the fact my parents are very rich and influential, I happen to be quite adept at Krav Maga," the blonde stated, still wearing that creepy smile.

"You can leave now," a now fuming Jess ordered.

"Ta-ta, Jessica," Paris sing-songed on her way out. "Remember what I said."

Once she was alone, Jess let out a tense breath and looked up at the ceiling. "What a fucking psychopath."

(GG)

_I think that went quite well,_ Rory thought with a wide grin as she disembarked from the bus and headed towards Luke's, feeling quite proud of what she had managed to accomplish during her latest visit to the Gilmore residence. Rory was aware that she was travelling a slippery slope in covertly inviting them to her mother's graduation, but her mother would get over the deceit once she saw how proud Richard and Emily were of their daughter. _Today was a good-_

"Paris? What are you doing here?" Rory frowned, the schoolmates meeting on the street directly in front of the diner.

"Hello, Rory," the blonde greeted. "It's nice to see you, too."

"Right, sorry," she shook her head in apology. "Hello, Paris. What brings you here?"

"Not a lot, Gilmore," the other Chiltonite smiled in that fashion that made Rory nervous. "Just exercising one of my rights as your best friend."

"What do you mean?" _Best friend? Wait, I'm her best friend?_

"Ask your girlfriend. I'm certain she can fill you in," Paris stated while entering her car. "See in class tomorrow, Gilmore."

"Wait. What?" Rory squeaked, her bright blue eyes wide as her classmate drove away. _Girlfriend? Oh, crap. Paris knows!_

**End scene.**

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